On Broken Wings
by icer01
Summary: 2-4 'BAD END' AU. After 2-4's Bad End scenario. Morgan's plot still stands, like a ticking time bomb. Will Phoenix's destiny again collide with the Fey Clan? CHAP 14!
1. Chapter 1

_I ran away from the courtroom... and wandered the streets alone…_

_The "miracle" never happen. Maybe it was never meant to._

_Because a "miracle" is something that doesn't exist.  
_

**ON BROKEN WINGS  
**

* * *

"Well," purrs the assassin, "seems Mr Wright has stepped up to save you."

"Nick?" I choke. Or would. I'm bound and gagged, so I can't form the sounds.

"He has indeed achieved Mr Engarde's full acquittal. So our business transaction is, I believe, over. It's likely my contractual obligation to release you."

Acquittal? No…

Then again, he could be lying.

"Then release me!" I snap. But fighting the guy is hard. I'm so weak I fear I'll pass out again - he's been withholding water, too, the past few days. The assassin seems to get the type of thing I'm saying though.

"Oh, I can't just _release_ you. My obligation is to return Mr Wright's precious item to HIM. Surely he'll come to collect it?"

I'm not sure Nick even knows where I am now. I can't channel Mia to tell her. She'll be asphyxiated.

I think I'm underground, or in some kind of sewer or stormwater drain. The air is terrible – I can barely breathe. There's an artificial light. By now it hurts my eyes. I have no idea if it's day or night anymore and I can never sleep, anyway.

###

Some hours have passed. I'm not sure where Mr DeKiller is. He ungagged me and let me have a tiny sip of water, but I bit him, so now he's just left a radio here instead of talking to me directly.

"Ms Fey?"

"What?" I snap. It's not as forceful as I'd like. My throat is parched again already and I think I'm still dehydrated.

"Oh _dear_. It seems you aren't as precious an item to Mr Wright as I had thought."

"WHAT?"

###

It's a while, but the radio crackles again. "Well, seems your 'handsome prince' has arrived to save you after all." He elicits a mechanical, grating, laugh. "He's coming in now."

"Nick?" I cough eagerly.

I recoil in confusion at the subsequently appearing figure.

"W.. who are you?" I enquire, just a little intimidated. That toaster mask is freaky, and for all I know, he's just another kidnapper or assassin.

"Godot." He smirks. "But your sister, Mia Fey, knew me as Diego Armando."

"Um." Is this a trap? The name _is_ familiar. Mr Armando is slashing through my bounds with a knife.

He senses my incredulity. "Good. Less gullible than your mother - NOW, anyway. Kittens fall prey running to paper tigers! (Or maybe a wet sock.) I hope this has taught you discretion. But – you can trust _me_."

He flashes something from his pocket whilst still slashing the ropes with the other hand. "I'm with the Justice Department, I've just qualified as a public prosecutor. And," he continues, "I was a practicing defense attorney at Grossberg Law Offices, along with your sister." My hands and body are now free, and he extends a hand to shake. "A pleasure to meet you, Mystic Maya Fey."

My arms are totally numb and lack all feeling. Severely irritated I'm too weak to even lift them to reciprocate his gesture, I just snarl "Mr Grossberg betrayed us all."

But Mr Armando just smirks again.

"Ah! The little kitten has picked up something from her sister, and wants evidence!"

He's showing me a photo. He and Mia have their arms around each other. It all looks very intimate and happy. Vague memories are coming back. "But she just stopped talking about you! Did you.." He's already shoving another newspaper article in my face. Something about how he was poisoned working on a case, and fell into a coma…

It's all too much. Suddenly I can't even care. I have other things firmly on my mind.

"Nick? Where's Nick?" I just repeat. I still don't really believe it. "Is he okay? Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Phoenix Wright." My voice wavers. He wouldn't really just abandon me, would he? Of course not! DeKiller was lying.

"_Ohhhhh_. Trite." He laughs denigratingly at the name. "Well, that cowardly farce has at least had the sense to see he doesn't have the right to face you, after what he did.."

"No! Nick was going to save me! What did they do to him?"

"Nothing. He simply betrayed you and your trust and ran away. I'm sorry, Ms Fey. You yourself reminded us of the sorry saga of Mr Grossberg. The mud in the coffee mug turned to dust, choked you, and blew away!"

"NO! Nick wouldn't betray me! You're lying!" I can't walk, so Mr Armando is now carrying me. It's such a relief to get out in the fresh air, I have no will to fight it. "Nick wouldn't betray me. I trusted him…" Damn it. I think I'm going to pass out again. How long was I locked up anyway? Mr Armando is shoving another article at me. It's a newspaper article about how Phoenix Wright forced the obvious murderer's acquittal with every dirty trick in the book.

"If you need better evidence, we can watch the tape of the court proceedings at the Justice Department." He's matter of fact. A second article is proclaiming how another woman's been sentenced to death, despite controversy of her being clearly innocent.

It's my fault. I know it.

"I trusted him. I want to know why…"

"Coffee?"

It's such a relief to get something into my stomach. I gulp it down in one go, uncaring of the scalding of my throat. The hollow gnawing of my stomach is replaced with a comforting warmth. But now it's no distraction from the hollow gnawing of my heart.

"Nick…" I just choke. I can't hold back the tears. It's a little pathetic, but I soon pass out.

###

I feel myself waking up. Maybe it was all just a bad dream. I'm in a strange bed. Maybe I'm at the hospital. The police found me in time, and Nick is coming to see me…

No, this is somebody's apartment. That guy from yesterday, Mr Armando, is sitting in a chair beside me.

It wasn't a dream.

I panic. I'm in a strange man's apartment, worse, in his BED?

"NICK!" I panic again. Maybe *parts* of yesterday were just a dream?

There's a phone near the bed. I seize it, and dial Nick's number.

No answer.

I dial the law office.

No answer either.

Wirth that mask, it's hard to read Mr Godot's expressions, but his mouth is deadpan.

"Mr Trite has disappeared. I believe he abandoned his phone in the courthouse."

I want to run and escape the apartment, disappear too, but my legs annoyingly don't seem to work properly.

"Let me see those articles again," I demand, managing with effort to keep my voice steady. They're just as bad as I remembered. Worse, actually.

"They're probably LYING. I want to hear it from Nick himself." I remember what happened with Mother. Not exactly, of course, but Mia was furious about it for the rest of her life…

"Well, he doesn't seem to have the respect to do so. Isn't that enough?"

"I'll wait. Maybe he'll come back. He'll come back!"

Suddenly I flash back. It's a bad memory. Mia and I would talk about how Mother would come back soon, and when she did we'd…

Then one day, Mia stopped talking about her coming back. Since I was too young to really remember her being there, it made little difference, but in hindsight, I could see it hit her hard. Then she started going to the city, studying stuff other than spirit training…

I'm crying again. Worst of all, I know I'm being childish. Mr Armando offers me more coffee. I'm relieved he's not tactless enough to comment.

"I want to see the court proceedings." That's what Mia would do. But even knowing this, somehow I can't bear to see that… that…

"I want to see State vs Andrews," I amend.

###

It's been two days. I keep my phone with me at all times. I check for new messages obsessively. I've left a note telling Nick to call me at Wright and Co. in case he decides to go back there. I feel sick constantly.

I've watched State vs Andrews a second time, hoping it will somehow change. (It doesn't.) I've watched most of State vs Engarde. It's almost unbearable. Mr Armando declares we need a break, and takes us to the café for coffee and cake.

I didn't want to believe it, but it's exactly like in the papers. Nick's using every unethical trick to get Engarde free and pin the crime on Ms Andrews. It's so obvious, the crowd even can see it, and is furious.

Watching Ms Andrews' trial is possibly even worse. There's not much her defense attorney can do (perhaps DeKiller or Engarde also paid him off?) Ms Andrews breaks down and cries at her guilty verdict. I cry too. I know she's dying in my place. I almost feel like a murderer myself. _Why was I stupid enough to follow the guy with the phone? Why did I *ever* make Nick think I asked him to rescue me? Why didn't I force DeKiller to kill me, when I knew what was happening?_

I'm still holding out hope he'll send a message, but hope is waning.

Nick _wouldn't_ betray me.

But then I remember. I knew Aunt Morgan didn't like me, but I never thought she'd betray me that way. Mother thought she betrayed us, and then she just disappeared and abandoned me. Even Mia left, even if she didn't really abandon me. And Mother trusted people, and they just betrayed her.

Ms Andrews is going to be executed, and I feel it's all my fault. I would have died to stop that, even. To stop Nick having to do that. _I would have died for you_. I guess it meant nothing to him.

"It's my fault. Ms Andrews.." I can't help gasping to Mr Armando. Maybe Nick was too dumb to read my message properly? Maybe I should have spent less time demanding rescue. I should have told him over the radio instead of crying for help.

"No," growls Mr Armando. "It's all that coward Trite's fault. He was only using you."

I face him, shocked, incredulous.

"There's a lot you don't know about Mr Wright," he continues. "I've known him since before he even began law school. And he's had some VERY dubious associations. But don't feel bad. Even your sister was deluded. Mr Trite knew all about Mr White's little plot against Mia, but he failed to lift a finger to stop it…"

"No!"

I refuse to believe it,

"Nick's a clueless idiot he had no.."

"Couldn't have expressed it better myself!"

"But…"

"He knew all about her project against White, and he knew the phone was being tapped. But he just blindly sat there and answered them anyway."

"He didn't know!"

"Then what exactly did that idiot _do_ at his little desk all day? Adjust his hair?"

"Mia thought he was great!" I defend. "She told me he was a genius!"

"Do _you_ think he's a genius?"

"No," I'm forced to admit.

I have a sudden idea.

"Maybe the phone wasn't tapped until just before the crime."

I get the sense if he could, Godot would roll his eyes. "No. And maybe he didn't get a known murderer acquitted. And maybe he didn't date a mass murderer and help her hide evidence."

"What? Of course he didn…"

"I take it you have never read _State vs Phoenix Wright [2013]_, take 1, Ms Fey?"

I have a feeling I'm about to.

"It's probably overwhelming. More coffee?"

I could swear I'm becoming addicted.

###


	2. Chapter 2

I'm relieved it should still be a few years before Mother is officially no longer Master, because my own Master feelings are a mess. I've tried locking myself in the Channelling Chamber when nobody's around and channelling spirits, but it scares me every time and I can only bring myself to channel Mia. Some stupid part of me is always expecting a gunshot, or an assassin to grab me, or… who knows what. Even being locked in the small space brings on a kind of panic. When I force myself not to think of Dr Grey's murder, I instead just remember being locked up by DeKiller, and I always think of Nick.

Whenever I think about Nick I get mad, and I force myself to get more mad over how he betrayed me. And I know this is because it's preferable to and can block out the pain of that other feeling. He abandoned me. That HURTS. But maybe I was wrong to think he ever cared about me, that he felt the way at all I felt about him. Maybe he only ever wanted me around to channel Mia. But why did he lie? Was he just tricking me, then at the train station? Why did he take my case the day we met? Why did he lose it when I claimed I was a murderer over Dr Grey?

It's much better to just get mad, and I whip it up again. How dare he betray me!

The remains of Kurain's reputation was in tatters over the Engarde thing. It was the talk of _Oh!Cult_ and all the tabloids.

Mr Armando wouldn't let me read most of what was said about me, but it was pretty terrible. He was the one who bailed me out, again. Master? I can't even look after myself. But they've finally got the idea from him and whatever resources he uses that I was just an innocent victim and everything was Nick's fault. I have a horrible feeling all those stories aren't true either, but I can't bear to read them. I just hope Nick doesn't have to either.

Nick's just gone. The office is abandoned. Mr Armando gave me the money to pay the rent, because I have a stake in the business too. I didn't like accepting money from him, but I don't have much choice. Kurain's finances are a wreck. Because of the fiasco, this exhibition of its sacred objects has been cancelled, and we lost money.

Pearly's so upset, I don't know what to do with her. For some reason, Nick's 'betrayal' seems to have hurt her even worse than me.

Mr Armando's offered to employ me in the Prosecutors' office. If I can learn to make acceptable coffee. He's really picky, though. So far he just spits out all my attempts in disgust. I can't tell the difference. In my apartment, I just keep the cheapest kind of instant stuff – and I have to, 'cause now I get withdrawal if I don't have 5 cups a day minimum.

And if I don't get employed by him, I'll just have to move back to Kurain permanently, because I can't afford the rent on my apartment. Well, I guess I could move into Wright and Co. but what if Nick comes back and is mad? And I'd have to pay the rent on THAT next month, anyway, and I… haven't decided on that one. Besides, if I lived there, I'd think of Nick 24/7. That would be unbearable.

I tried applying for jobs at the supermarket and café, but they all look at me like I'm insane, and won't give me an interview. I'm not sure why.

###

I'm not sure my new job as Mr Armando's assistant is going too well.

I only ever got to go on one crime investigation. Now I always just have to stay back at the office and file. Mr Armando spent the whole time yelling ("Stop touching that, it might be evidence!" "No, that's NOT what happened!") and chugging coffee, alternately.

I get the sense he doesn't find me very helpful. Practically everything I do seems to break one of his 'rules'. I can't help thinking I actually create more inconvenience for him that I solve.

And a lot of the time, Mr Armando gives instructions and talks in weird metaphors, and I do what he said, but he doesn't like it. I guess I didn't get it right, again. But I did what he _said_….

He doesn't seem to like any of my suggestions to improve things around here, either. (But why _can't_ we have a TV? How boring!) Or any of my suggestions when I'm trying to help him with crime cases. He just looks at me like I'm insane. I don't get it. Then he tells me to shut up, or go make coffee, or file in a different room, or something.

On many days, he ultimately just decides to send me to the thankless task of re-sorting the old, dusty files and evidence from long ago cases, in the Resolved Minor Cases records room. Pointless since nobody will ever look at at least 99% of them again – half of them aren't murders, but minor crimes like shoplifting or severe traffic offences. And I'm supposed to weed out and discard files past their expiry date, and move the others along, to make space for new ones.

I know this is a waste of time, so I think he just does it to give me something to do, away from him.

He doesn't bother checking very hard, so after I've sorted for about half an hour, I usually spend the remaining time reading old murder cases and looking at evidence. Most of them are really boring and straightforward too, nothing like the cases I worked on with… before. I wonder why?

I used to play _Samurai Warriors™_ on my phone instead, but then I got the phone bill, and it must be charged for time or something, because it ended up being more than I get paid as Mr Godot's assistant.

###

Of course he doesn't make the same kind of oversights on my other tasks, however. I _try_, really!

"I'm sorry! They don't have photocopiers in Kurain!"

"Doubly reason for you not to attempt to change the toner yourself! How could it possibly run out already anyway, the maintenance staff changed it just yesterday!"

"Uh…" I'm caught in a beam of alien death glare. Now I know how Mr Armando corners and breaks down criminals.

He marches me to the crime scene, infinitely reminiscent of a murder site, save that the splashes and pools of blood flooding the scene, dripping down the walls, and smeared in unfortunate fingerprints are pitch black. Somehow this evidence-spoiler did not reach to the overflowing recycling bin. Mr Godot fingers a few pieces of this, clenches and unclenches his fists, then gulps three mugs of coffee in frenetic succession.

"MEEKINS!" he barks.

"Sir!" Meekins strangles himself in eagerness.

"Clean this up. NOW."

"But Sir, I was just doi.."

"Do you want another salary review recommendation?"

"But M…Maya…"

"Ms Fey is otherwise occupied with our performance review meeting." He drags me roughly around the corner. 'My office! In one hour!" he hisses, jerkily releasing his grip and turning his back as if he can no longer stand to look at me.

The hot water and soap after I've scuttled into the Department restroom aren't very good at making the toner budge. I'm in so much trouble anyway, I figure it won't make things worse to sneak off and run home to change my clothes. Peeking in upon return, it seems the only toner successfully removed has been transferred onto Meekins, and his inky fingerprints have smeared together with my own.

I trepidatiously enter the office. It's not quite as bad as I'd feared.

Mr Armando's obviously trying to control his anger, but I can sense a worse tirade may be building.

"What exactly *_did_* they teach you as this 'spirit medium' thing in Kurain?"

"Oh! How to channel spirits!"

"I take it you aren't up to, uh, full competence with that yet either?"

"Hey! I can channel, easy! Watch this!"

###

When I regain consciousness, I'm back in my apartment, a note from Mia beside me.

"_I've convinced Mr Armando not to fire you. I think he considered today productive_."

The next day, when I arrive (only 18 minutes late!) instead of sighing in resignation, Mr Armando greets me with a genuine grin. He tells me he's going to give me a pay rise.

###

* * *

_FIC NOTES: Yeah, maybe a photocopier wouldn't do this, but Maya's spiritual powers accidentally cursed it or negatively interacted with the mundane physical plane or something._


	3. Chapter 3

Damn it, I'm getting sick of the prosecution assistant thing. It's wearing me out.

All I've been doing in my spare time lately is trying to learn coffee techniques. I even borrowed books from the library on coffee. Maybe then Mr Armando will want me to channel Mia less. It's getting awkward. Sometimes Mia just ignores my calls. I do have the powers to force reluctant spirits, but it's not like it's an emergency or anything.

Oh well, at least there isn't deception like… that other person. I do know for sure that Mia _is_ the main reason Mr Armando keeps me around.

###

I don't know, for some reason with Nick, I used to feel almost superior, like I was actually worth something to him. I guess he was pretending to keep me by him. But with Mr Armando, I often just feel like the stupid little sister, who can't even survive without him and Mia to protect and support her.

And worst of all, all the evidence just reminds me it's true.

Case in point. I've just spent ages slaving over the coffee and snack (Mr Armando suggested mini-omelettes, but they sort of didn't work out, so I heated a store-bought cake in the microwave.)

"Ha…!" greets Mr Armando. (Catchphrases, I'll never get them. ) "Here's the Master-elect's mail. I took the liberty of pre-sorting out some of the junk."

I'm a bit irritated. Can't I handle the mail myself? "What _kind_ of junk?" I demand.

"Oh, hate mail."

I cringe. "I can handle the mail MYSELF!" I snap, but then I remember – I can't. They re-routed all the Kurain business mail to me after Morgan was jailed, and after the Engarde fiasco, there was piles more. The tragedy of Adrian Andrews was in every gossip page and magazine and I received tons of hate mail and even death threats. They depressed me so much, I really did miss some of the important mail, and Mr Armando was happy to bail me out, _again_, even though I didn't ask.

He smirks, then takes a sip of Godot Blend #1337. Or failed attempt at Godot Blend #1337, judging by the way he spews it out. "Oh, get back in the kitchen and learn to make proper coffee." He's joking, but it still rubs me totally the wrong way.

I snatch up the mail, brushing stray flecks of coffee off myself. Why is Mr Armando the only way I can ever see myself managing to begin any kind of financial security? I'm so bad at this Master thing. Even Mia seems to consider him indispensable to me. Besides, every time I get too upset, he showers me with gifts and doesn't ask me to channel Mia, like he's desperate to keep me around. And I can't afford all that stuff otherwise, and then I feel I kinda owe him…

###

I'm jerked back to consciousness from a channelling. I rub my eyes and stare up at Mr Godot in confusion. He seems pretty irritated.

"Mia wouldn't do anything unless you agreed to it in writing. Actually, she drew up a giant contract. Here it is."

It's a huge legal document. The law jargon is making my head spin, but Mia's annotated explanations in the margins.

I seem to get a huge amount out of it.

Money (a lot of it), unlimited advice, ongoing legal services, access to classified Justice Department matters…

I just have to agree to…

"I thought you were already," I admit.

"Good, so that's a yes then?"

"NO!"

He seems confused. "Well, wasn't that the arrangement you were doing with Wright?"

I tear it up.

I grab several sacks of luxury coffee beans and throw them around, incensed.

Godot seems taken aback. He didn't predict this.

I dump a sack of coffee on his head.

"You're acting like a child," he observes, again unflapped.

Suddenly I feel very tired. I won't even be conscious anyway, does it matter that much? It's not like I'm any good at much other than channelling Mia. I channelled a harmless, recently deceased Mystic in the privacy of my own home, but I'm still scared over another disaster professional appointment. And Mr Godot is the only person of power still friendly to the Kurain cause. I can hear Aunt Morgan's schoolmaster voice scolding me now. "Do it for Kurain."

_Shut the hell up._

"I'm leaving," I announce. "I resign. I'm relocating to Kurain permanently. I'm looking after Pearly."

Mr Godot's mouth jolts open in horror at the mention of 'Pearly'. _Good_. I'm out the door.

###

I fire off a furious letter to Mia and channel her. I want answers! How dare she!

The letter that comes back is deeply apologetic. I can almost believe Mia really does feel terrible.

It seems she had the impression I'd already agreed to all this with Mr Godot ages ago, and she was setting me up with a good deal instead of a bad one. She's sorry. It's hard to communicate when we never actually see each other. She thinks maybe Mr Godot had the wrong impression too, since I accepted all his help and gifts. "_Sometimes some men can be dumb_." She's supportive of my vow never to see or channel for him again. No, she and Nick never did anything unprofessional, just in case I was wondering. ('_I always thought he looked a little odd, actually_.')

I really wish we could talk in person, but Pearly refuses to channel or even train properly since the Engarde thing. It's like Pearly _wants_ to not train her powers, so mine look better. Mine are stronger anyway, but I'm a lot older, see. People still talk. I hate the whole thing!

Well, I've already decided. Pearly is my priority now. And I can look after myself!

###

It's been a few months.

I don't leave Kurain unless I have to, and then I go to a different city. Some of the other Mystics can channel, so we still have appointments, even though neither Pearly nor I can bear to.

But things still suck. I'm not good at any of this paperwork, and I'm not even the Master, so I have little authority or access to control or information. Mother still has all the reserved power and authority to actually do most things around here, even though she's… not here. I didn't think it was possible, but Kurain's finances seem to be getting worse.

Mr Armando sends business letters. He claims he's highly apologetic about our 'previous misunderstandings'. He knows so much about Kurain affairs it's scary. It's like he has insider info I don't or something.

So I take the initiative to write my own contract and I channel Mia to translate it into watertight legal-speak for me. The agreement includes stuff like I will never have to channel in Mr Armando's presence, and he's never allowed to touch me, regardless of what spirit I may or may not be hosting. If he breaks it, I'll get Mr Edgeworth to take it up with him.

(I haven't heard from him since he left overseas again ages ago, but I think he'd still do me a professional favour.)

Well, at least it should stop Mr Godot from thinking he can push me around, so maybe it's safe to have a business-only meeting. The Kurain Board's noticed how things are even worse since he stopped 'advising' me, and they keep actively demanding it.

###

_Jan 30 2019_

Pearly is really excited over the idea of this spirit training course she heard about.

I was so pleased to see her excited over something – it's rare these days. And I figured the Ultra Course is just what I need. Maybe the spirit power boost will knock me out of my stupid fear of the Channelling Chamber.

In fact, I decided. I'm not helping anybody, least of all Pearly. I should just forget Nick, and concentrate on preparing to be Master. Next month, I won't pay the rent on Wright and Co. Nick's gone. It's over. I'll just pretend it never happened.

…No. I'll just pretend he was nice enough to help me out, just doing his job, when I was twice wrongly on trial, but that's all that ever happened. It was a business transaction. Nothing more.

This training trip will be the start of my new beginning!

"What do you _mean_ you have to be accompanied by someone over 20?"

Seriously, I thought 18 was the adult age. "I'm 19, isn't that close enough? I'm _REALLY_ mature for my age," I wheedle. It's true, right?

"Um, maybe we can make an exception," the lady folds quietly.

_Yes!_

"NO!" booms a forceful woman's voice in the background. There's a sound like the phone being grabbed. "No exceptions! There was an, um, INCIDENT once, we can't do it for insurance purposes."

"But I'm a _FEY_!"

"Even worse. What if something HAPPENED, the Family would sue?"

Ha. Somebody's not quite up on recent events.

I suddenly remember seeing something where Aunt Morgan's spent the last something years pretending to the outposts Kurain's still rolling in power and riches. Maybe not _all_ her ideas were bad?

I give up. How am I going to tell Pearly? And there goes my only plan to turn over a new leaf.

So somehow, I find myself mentioning it in conversation with Mr Armando over our half-hourly coffee break at our business meeting.

For some reason, he seems VERY eager to accompany us. It's a little weird, but I find it hard to refuse. I'll be extra sure to make them book us separate, lockable, rooms…

###

_Feb 06 2019_

I was so excited! Pearly had an amazing smile on her face. The snow was awesome, and I was feeling on top of the world, like I could be an awesome Master and channel any spirit, forgetting anything that ever happened in the past, and we're just going into this breathtaking hall to see…

And then I see…

Him.

It can't be. It's a delusion, or a nightmare. Maybe a spiritual trance like some weird old elders have sometimes.

That person is… is gone. And he certainly wouldn't be here.

He's coming over. It's a mistake. He doesn't recognise who we are…

Then our eyes lock.

###

* * *

**FIC NOTES:** _Yeah, this is one of the reasons I don't like the ship Godot/Maya, I really don't think it would work out in a good way due to the Mia issue and likely dynamic. __Phoenix__ doesn't think of Maya as a child. Godot clearly does in GS3, even at 19. [For example, he laments not telling __Phoenix__ about the plot at the end. Why not Maya???] And come on, he was so obsessed with Mia, and if she's channelled again every day…_

_Now assuming this is how Godot really did see the Mia - Phoenix - Maya arrangement, [Phoenix/Miya] his hatred of Trite makes a lot more sense, so in the AU at least, he does, having experienced Maya's own 'legal assistance' firsthand._


	4. Chapter 4

Mr Armando, I notice, is suddenly by my side. He shifts even closer, possessively, shoving himself right into my personal space. Nick notices, and winces slightly. He doesn't back down though, and is opening his mouth as if to speak.

Then the two women who greeted us earlier are coming over, one boomingly loudly. For some reason, this elicits a kind of panic in him. "S-sorry," he gasps in my direction, before reaching some kind of critical mass overload as they descend upon us, and he suddenly diffuses into a nearby doorway.

All too late, I'm realising what kind of impression and vibes Mr Godot was probably giving him over me. I'm a bit annoyed. _Hey! That's not how things are at all!_ I can't chew him out now, though, because Sister Bikini is here, all friendly and eager to make conversation – on a very interesting topic.

"Oh! 'Brother' 'Mystic' Phoenix! What a character!" She leans closer in a hiss. "We think he's mentally ill, or not quite all there, but don't tell him that." She reverts to her normal voice. "He turned up one day begging to be some kind of monk. And he's the disciple of our long-time esteemed guest, Elise Deauxnim. She's a picture book author, but she's been doing a research trip here. He draws pictures too, though I think they're rather awful, myself… As soon as he saw her he went quite insane, claimed he was drawn by 'a magic force'. And he reads her book, _'The Magic Bottle'_, constantly. He cries practically every time he reads it too. Elise doesn't seem to mind though. I'd think such a devotee creepy, but she seems to understand him, somehow… _I_ don't at all. He runs away half the time. For some reason, he's really scared of Sister Iris, can you imagine? Actually, now I think – he was scared of you, too, wasn't he?"

"What does he do as a, um, monk?" I can't help being curious.

"Oh, he's obsessed with the Kurain Technique. There's a lot of silly rituals we do for the health of the Master's Family – we get sick of them, but some amazing medium, Morgan Fey, required them – I let him do a few of them and he's so obsessed. He claims he has terrible sins on his soul, so I taught him a few penance rituals to Ami Fey. He has an actual Magatama, though I have no idea where he got it. Maybe he stole it and that's the big sin he's so scared of? …Well, I shouldn't pry. He mostly keeps away from us… He lives in another part of the mountain."

"Where?" I have to know.

"Oh, we called it the 'Loser's Shack', but that's mean, isn't it now…"

_Sounds appropriate._

"Here, have a map… but he's often out following Elise like a dog, whenever she doesn't come near us, anyway."

###

**_[Several days previously…] Feb 1 2019_**

**PHOENIX:**

I was scared out of my wits when I saw Dahlia Hawthone. At first I thought she might be a ghost, or zombie. Maybe Ami Fey was punishing me somehow? I mean, I didn't used to think that kind of stuff happened, but then I didn't used to think ghosts were real.

But I'm beginning to think it's not Dahlia Hawthorne at all, unless she got reincarnated. Maybe it's her sister, or another relative. But I don't really care. I still get freaked out every time I see her, remembering.

I had some silly idea once that that Dahlia was a fake, but even if that was true, I don't want to know the real one. Deceiving me, betraying me and just running away and abandoning me. The worst kind of coward! That kind of stuff shouldn't be forgiven… Which reminds me, it's past time for another flagellation ritual.

I sent Maya a few letters of apology, but I haven't heard back, so she probably is still mad. Or at least, doesn't want to see me – why would she? I never told her where I was after I moved here – guess it was for the best. I'm debating whether to send another letter…

I still have nightmares. I don't know what Elise thinks of me. Once, when she came by, I woke up screaming "MAYA!!!!" and she got really, really freaked.

I was scared I scared her off, showing myself up as so disturbed, but I guess she felt sorry for me, because she paid me a lot more attention after that.

Ms Deauxnim is an enigma to me, and we really don't talk, but on some weird level, I feel we connect. I guess it was after reading her book, even though it hit me where it hurt. Too much of my life has been spent chasing a magic dream; a string of magic dreams. And the only things that weren't illusions? I stupidly lost them too.

###

**_Feb 06 2019_**

**MAYA:**

Of course, I want to look for Nick.

I can't tell Pearly what I'm doing. I don't really trust Mr Armando to look after her, but thankfully, Elise, Bikini and Iris seem besotted with her and agree they'll keep an eye on her. In fact, Elise insists on babysitting her the entire night while I do the training and look around. She's some kind of childrens' author, so I guess she must love children. I'm grateful this frees me to look for Nick alone, so I don't pay it much thought. Destination: _'Loser's Shack'_.

"N…Nick?" The door is closed. I peer in the small, dusty windows, but I can't see anyone inside.

I knock a few times.

Curiosity gets the better of me and I wrench open the door. They don't seem to have locks here… not ones which work, anyway.

I scan for clues about Nick and his new life, but there's not much to see. There's a traditional futon with a few extra blankets (unmade, heaped in a mess), a few heavy old wooden cupboards and chests of drawers. There's a small electricity generator, so he's evidently not without power, but it only seems to run a few lights and a small stove. I guess he washes and gets water from the river right out front.

From the fishing gear I tripped over in a corner near the door, I assume this must be what he catches and eats.

An ancient desk is strewn with haphazard piles of paper, pencils and charcoal – I remember Bikini said something about him making pictures as Elise's fanboy.

Long ago, painful conversations spring into my head – before he switched to law school, he was also studying art…

I grab a few papers and eye them critically. I have to admit, they're not so bad. Scenery, fish, the beginnings of a courtroom scribbled out and half-crushed…

Some kind of instinct seizes me. There's a nearby cardboard box, overflowing with waste (what a mess!) I pick a few supposed artistic fails off the top.

A picture of the Judge with red eyes, holding a giant gavel. A spikey haired corpse being impaled with a Nickel Samurai Spear…

Something about looking at them hurts. Suddenly, I feel very weak.

_Dammit. I must need coffee._

I'm sure Nick doesn't have any, but I sift through the cupboards just to check. Nope, just boring things like sacks of potatoes, and dried peas and lentils and onions. Ginger roots, maybe for that boring ginger tea they have in Kurain…

Apart from the electricity, really the only thing here which seems to have graduated the 1800s are the hair products.

Well, Nick doesn't seem to be coming back, and I can't wait all night. Should I leave him a note? But I really haven't decided what to say. We'll be here several more days. I'm sure I can pin him down tomorrow or something. I decide to head back.

###

I'm fast approaching the main building complex again. Is Nick still in there, hiding in that maze of halls? Dinner will be served soon, (and it smells far better than fish stew,) will he appear? Probably not, the way Bikini was talking.

And then I see him – lurking in the shadows, furtively peering out from under his monk robe's hood.

"Nick!"

"I… I'm sorry."

"Well, it would've been nice if you'd had the courtesy to tell me earlier. Oh, you were 'too ashamed to face me', yeah, I've had _that_ one before. Or maybe you just didn't care?"

"Maya… I-"

"It's okay. I was wrong to think it was more than what it was."

Nick's clearly fighting for words. He then gulps. "Um… That guy you're with… w-who is he?"

"I think that's none of your business, Phoenix Wright."

"No," Nick concedes sadly. "No, it isn't."

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"I did. He, um, just spat coffee in my face. Well… look after yourself, Maya."

"Oh, I will," I reply. "I _HAVE_ to."

For some reason, raising the topic of Mr Godot, along with the memories flooding back of everything I thought I had with Nick [and didn't] suddenly makes me very angry.

"Why did you lie to me?"

"W..what?"

"I thought you were different, but you just abandoned me like everyone else did!"

"I'm sorry!"

"It was only about Mia, wasn't it. You only wanted me there to channel!"

"N—no! No!"

"When you took my case when no one else cared, I thought maybe you gave a damn about me, out of the kindness of your heart. But I guess it was because I was your boss's sister. _Wasn't_ it?"

"No!"

"I could have faced the truth. I _knew _I failed you after I couldn't channel. So why did you lie to me? Why did you make me think you wanted ME around? I would have been happy to just channel Mia. Just for you to be straight with me. Why did you trick me, and make me feel… feel…"

The anger is charging up again, thankfully to displace the cursed tears.

"Then you defended me again. You came back. But I guess it wasn't about saving me at all. It was about the fact I could _channel_ again, wasn't it!"

"N…no! I wanted to save you!"

"I would have died for you! But I guess that meant nothing to you. _*I*_ meant nothing to you!"

I'm pleased when he visibly flinches at my venom. I'm so furious. I was so gullible and deluded by him that I was captive to my emotions – would have died over betraying our fake partnership. The fact it's my own naivety at ever trusting him which is as much responsible for this mess makes me even madder. So stupid, sitting there drawing on that card, believing in a fantasy… that never really existed.

Nick seems to be fighting for breath. I know I've made him cry, and I don't really care. Suddenly we hear Sister Bikini gabbling in the distance, the sound and multiple footsteps coming ever closer. "Iris, sweetie, why are you so scared of Mystic Brother Phoenix? I know insane and retarded people are a little odd, but he seems _quite_ harmless… why, is that Maya over there? Maya, is that you?"

I can't let Bikini see me like this. As she steps around the corner, Sister Iris in tow, I dive into a bush. Nick's feelings are evidently similar. He's pulled his hood right down over his eyes, and melts away into the night.

###

* * *

**CHAPTER NOTES:**

_Phoenix's monk robe is a more masculine version of that black outer cloak Misty wears, and it too has a hood (not those demon warding hoods.) It's probably solid black, without those white strips, and whatever he wears underneath is black also._

_As for Elise's book, 'The Magic Bottle', I'm convinced it was probably an in-game ref to some variant of the fatal 'bottle fairytale' Dahlia brainwashed Phoenix and Terry with. So the book itself traumatises Phoenix on two levels - it reminds him of the Dahlia nightmare/betrayal; AND of his lost relationship with Maya, which was the closest thing he had in reality to that kind of reciprocal trust relationship he desired in the impossible bottle fairytale.  
_


	5. Chapter 5

It's some time later. I'm feeling much better since my coffee hit (best of all, I could get it without Mr Godot even there to supervise, wonder where he is?). I'm trying to push the exchange with Nick out of my mind, to clear my head for the upcoming meditations.

Setting off to the training course with Bikini, suddenly we see him, still skulking around.

"Oh, hello sweetie! Still here? Did you want something? I'm afraid we're just leaving."

"N-no. Don't let me delay you." He's not looking at me.

"_Mystic_ Fey," he murmurs respectfully, and gives a quick ceremonial bow the way trainees, monks and nuns do to the Master – if we're HAVING a traditional ceremony, that is. Maybe I should tell him I'm not the Master yet, so that was a severe indiscretion – but of course I don't. Anyway, he's already dissipated off.

"Oh, how cute," thrills Bikini as we walk off, "usually he just hides away when we have guests. Why," she digs me in the ribs, "I think maybe he _LIKES_ you, you know."

"Uh… no. I'm sure it's not that."

###

**PHOENIX:**

Who the hell is this guy?

He seems to think he's chaperoning Maya (or.. worse..)

Damn it, I don't trust him. No, actually I don't trust any man with Maya. …Okay, maybe I _am_ jealous. But he's like, at least 15 years older than her! I decided I'd just have to do a little undercover investigation.

I've tailed him a lot of the night. He probably knows – a lot of the complex is not designed with discretion in mind. He successfully lost me for awhile, and when I find him again, I see he's meeting with Elise, and … that scary Dahlia copy. I'm petrified of Dahlia II but… _this is for Maya_.

Why aren't they talking to Maya? Sure, she's off doing that training thing, but really…

But by the time I've inched closer without them being able to see me, all I get to hear is Godot and Dahlia II agreeing to meet at a certain site at 10pm.

I j..just hope it's not about getting or receiving poison. Oh, I know I'm paranoid. _And_ petrified for Maya.

Dahlia II was addressing him as 'Prosecutor Godot'. Is it true? Is this some kind of police operation? I thought Dahlia had been executed by now – but maybe the police _also_ suspect this is her undead zombie reincarnation? I just don't know what to believe any more…

I'm sure of two things though. 2: I have to leave before anyone sees me. 1: I have to be there at 10pm, to find out what's going on!

###

Godot's swearing. "Where the HELL is Iris?"

A bolt of lightning illuminates me. I'm scared of thunderstorms, and what with the current tension jerk in terror, blowing my cover entirely.

"TRITE!"

"What's going on? … What have you done with Maya?"

"You!" He spears me with a finger, Objection-style. "There's a killer on the loose, targeting Maya Fey, we got a tip off. Her name is Dahlia Hawthorne. I believe you two have met?"

I feel I'm going to vomit. "Maya!" is all I can choke.

Then, grasping desperately for sanity, I flail onto a contradiction. "She wasn't executed yet?"

"Then maybe she was channelled, Trite? I'm patrolling this side's area. You! Work your way around _that_ side. Hurry! Don't be too late to find her!"

I don't know if 'her' means Dahlia or Maya, and I don't care. I know _I'm_ looking for Maya.

Wasn't Maya in the cavern, doing the training?

I ignore Godot's instructions and try there first. There's a psyche-lock on the cavern. Closed. I can't unlock those things.

"Maya? Are you in there?"

No reply.

*_Well, you jerk, maybe she just doesn't want to talk to you._*

"MAYA! There's a murderer on the loose! Tell me you're okay! Please!"

After a while, I give up. I return to Godot's instructions. Combing the whole area seems a waste of time… neither one would be in all this empty snow, right?

Suddenly I hear noises, and screaming, and notice flashes of red light…

I run.

"MAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

###

It's dark, hard to see. There are two people on the ground, but I have eyes only for Maya, flinging myself down next to her. "No. No!" Is she dead? "Maya…" I touch her gently. Warm, alive. I can hear her breathing, though it's shallow and erratic. Even in the darkness, I can feel and smell she's bleeding copiously. She gives a little whimper. Terrified, I take her injury-free hand in mine, desperately trying to recall first aid….

A flash of lightning illuminates the hideous scene. Elise – I'm sure it is Elise – is sprawled on the ground in front of us, already with the unworldly look and feel of a corpse, a knife stuck rather precisely deep into her heart. Maya's broken, injured body is possibly even more disturbing. My eyes are adjusting to the darkness and the main damage is revealed to be predominantly on one side and area of her body. I ease the rest of her into my arms, concentrating on her still-present heartbeat. "It's going to be okay," I tell her, stroking her good side, trying to reassure myself as much as anything.

Maya's drifted into consciousness. Tears fill her eyes. "Mother! She's dead. Why?"

"Maya…"

"Nick!" I'm scared she'll pull away, but she sinks closer to me, apparently seeking comfort. She passes out again. I'm sure it's from loss of blood.

She's been stabbed in two places. There's a huge amount of blood. I know I'm supposed to stop the bleeding, fast. I don't care if I freeze to death. I tear a whole lot of my monk robe into strips and bandage her up as best I can.

"Please don't die!" I beg. I cradle her in my arms, and palpitate in terror at how laboured her breathing has become. Oh god, will I be able to remember C.P.R.? A nearby storm has begun to steadily illuminate the sky.

"Elise!" I exclaim, horrified anew as her sad fate comes into stark focus. But a flash of lightning illuminates something else askew on her body. It's a talisman with the Kurain Master symbol on it. I see her and Maya together, and along with Maya's seemingly delirious comment, something is making horrible sense….

Why I was so drawn to Elise…

Maya looks so small and pale, her uncharacteristically haggard face emphasising the disturbing likeness. I have to get help, NOW, but I can't leave her. Can I carry her without hurting her worse…? I'm relieved when I then hear footsteps charging toward me.

"Trite, you idiot! Why did you take so long! You're TOO LATE!"

His eyes flit to 'Elise'. "Did _YOU_ stab her?" he snarls accusingly.

"No! It wasn't me!"

"What, you mean Maya did it herself? I don't think Dahlia or Elise would just stab herself in the chest."

"No! Maya wouldn't!"

"Oh, was there a _third_ person? I didn't see them."

"N-not that I saw.."

"Maya is innocent. Either way, it's clearly _your_ fault. Trite."

"Shut up about that! She needs a doctor! NOW!"

Godot's already dialling his police phone. "The paramedics and police helicopters will be here shortly… What the hell are you DOING? You'll likely make her injuries WORSE!"

I ignore him. Maya had started making these little whimpering noises – she's near unconscious, but maybe she was scared by all the yelling. Automatically I found myself holding her hand, stroking her non-injured shoulder, crooning that it's going to be okay, the doctors are coming soon. I squeeze her hand in a pathetic attempt at reassurance, and am rewarded with the faintest of pressure in return.

###


	6. Chapter 6

**_08 Feb 2019 06.00am_**

**MAYA:**

"Nick? Where's Nick?" I mumble. "Nick?"

I open my eyes. It's not Nick. It's Mr Armando.

_But I'm sure Nick was there…_

I'm so confused? What happened?

I remember stuff, but it's so disjointed. Was I dreaming?

I wince at two pretty nasty apparent wounds. That was no dream.

"Where's Nick?" I demand again, knowing it will probably irritate him.

"Oh, Mr Wright has been arrested. So have you, I regret to inform you." He gestures to two police guards, one on either side of what looks like a hospital room. "You've been charged with the murder of Elise Deauxnim. You're recovering well since your surgery, so the trial will be in a few days. Wright's a suspected accomplice or accessory, I believe. The prosecution office doesn't think he's the killer, which is ludicrous…"

"No!"

"They claim you stabbed the victim. You didn't, did you."

"No!" Actually, the night is such a mess, I don't know _what_ happened. "I d-don't remember anyway. I promise!"

"Your prints are on the murder weapon."

I'm confused.

"It's a knife," he prods.

I try desperately to recall in better detail.

A confused cocktail of pain and terror, a realisation on some level a knife is embedded in me, relentlessly piercing some internals, wrenching it out semi-instinctively and holding it in my fingers….

Then it's just a blank. Nothing. Even more empty than a channelling. Can I just not access the memory?

"I t-think I pulled it out of me. It's just nothing after that. I c-can't remember. I think maybe I blacked out or something?"

"It's okay. I'm sure you are innocent. I will act as defense attorney for your case."

"Who's the p-prosecutor?" Maybe it's Edgeworth, then I and Nick might have a chance…

"Von Karma."

I'm still trying to recall.

"The next thing I remember, …I see my m-mother's dead. And then I notice Nick is there. He's holding me – " That part is coming back.

"I was so scared, do you think he came to save me?"

"We'll discuss this again later," Mr Godot replies tersely.

###

* * *

**IRIS:**

Iris had started to feel she'd paid off some of the sins on her soul. But then a nightmare happened.

One day, Feenie turned up here.

Feenie was clearly insane, like his life had been ruined somehow. Iris couldn't help feeling it was all her fault. But worst of all, her only refuge, where she could forget the tortures of the past and feel useful to Bikini, was now just another part of the nightmare. Feenie really had no idea who she was, but there was always the chance he'd find out. And every time she saw his broken face, it was a reminder.

She'd tried to forget Dahlia, but then she heard her sister had been executed. Had sensed it, actually - her E.S.P. was weak, but Dahlia was her twin, so she could get the intuitive sense her sister was now dead, even though they couldn't connect. _Oh!Cult_ magazine had needed someone to make a trip to the city, and she'd contacted the Justice Department there and received confirmation, explaining she was a 'distant relative'.

_Why_ was Feenie here? She'd tried so hard to pay penance, but Ami Fey just seemed to be punishing her worse for this transgression. It made her even more lonely, and she happened to comment to a visiting medium she'd had a twin sister, who had recently died.

The medium saw she was upset and offered to do a private channelling. Bikini didn't know.

It had been just like old times, before they had to leave, before Mother got mad they had no spirit powers. Iris showed Dahlia all around where they took mediums to train. Dahlia was so proud of her, and so interested in all the things she did here. She said she was so smart – wow, how did she set and unset those locks? Iris wished things could stay like this forever, but the medium wasn't very good, so after about half an hour the connection faded.

Iris knew she shouldn't try to contact Dahlia again – the Order had strict rules and moral guidelines over ethics of spirit contact, to avoid too much disruption of spirits' destinies in the afterlife and interference in the mortal world – and mass murderers were certainly NEVER to be channelled without an extremely good reason. If Bikini found out, she'd be mad – no, Bikini would forgive her, since it was her sister, but she'd be very clear Iris was NEVER to do it again.

So when Iris had seen Dahlia again that certain night, it was almost too good to be true!

###

**DAHLIA:**

Dahlia still couldn't feel she'd done anything wrong by killing those worthless, disposable people.

She took sadistic pleasure in taunting them with the ultimate lie.

Human relationships were only ever really about exploiting others to advance your own agendas and desires. If they were no longer of use to you, they should – and would – be discarded or ignored at will.

If people like Terry, Dougie and Feenie were too idiotic to know this, and still held out a fantasy things could be otherwise, that was their own problem. Was it really her fault Feenie kept believing in a stupid bottle fairytale she knew was a baby story before she was 3? She gave him plenty of time to come to his senses and give the bottle back before she had to kill him. As for Terry, she delighted in the power she had over him, but it wasn't like she'd forced the poison down his throat.

The only reason stupid Iris went around forgiving and praying and doing anything for other people was that her silly sister seemed to be overwhelmed with unpleasant guilt or fear otherwise, so really, she too was just being selfish. And of course, Iris was way more interested in her own safety that other people most of the time, when it came down to actually doing anything. It was incomprehensible how some people held out the delusion that you could ever trust or think you could rely on another person.

Dahlia had many years previously numbed herself of normal human emotions until they were exorcised entirely, but she still couldn't help feeling anger about Pearl. A child created from before birth with the sole intention of fulfilling her mother's insane narcissistic desires, nothing but an object, a pawn, an extension of herself.

*_That bitch_*. Dahlia's head filled with a immense stream of unrepeatable expletives.

###

**_06 Feb 2019 10:02 PM_ **

**_[NIGHT OF THE CRIME]_**

**IRIS:**

Nostalgia is flooding back, Dahlia is wearing a hood and nun outfit, just like her! If only Dahlia could have stayed at the shrine too back then…

Iris' heart lurches in thrill as Dahlia hugs her. She finally seems to have forgiven her over the Feenie incident and the rift that divided them then. [Maybe because Dahlia has seen that she and Feenie are not together, even though he'd creepily come to haunt the mountain?]

"But why are you here?"

"Oh, Iris, it's terrible! Mother found out about a plot against our half-sister, Pearl! You know that whole stupid Master deal – the Main Family, Aunt Misty probably, are planning an assassination attempt on poor little Pearl tonight! I was helping her to stop it, but I think things are going wrong!

"Pearl? That cute little girl?"

"Mother planned Pearl to channel me, to keep her safe from the attacker, but I think she's been somehow prevented from doing so. I can't find her, but I heard her screaming somewhere. Oh, Iris, we have to find her! Would anyone know where she might be? Who else is here?"

"M-Mystic Maya came with her.."

"Oh yeah, her. That Main Family girl. Mother said she doesn't know about the plot against Pearl – but best not to tell her, she might turn against us."

"Oh, Maya seemed very nice, I'm sure she'd never. But if she doesn't know – we'd better not worry her!"

"Hey, what was that?"

"Huh?"

"Didn't you hear it? I thought I heard a girl screaming. Iris, we HAVE to find Pearl! Would Mystic Maya know where she might have gone? I'm going to ask!"

"But we shouldn't trouble Mystic Maya…" Too late. Iris is panting by the time she catches up with Dahlia at the cavern. Dahlia's clearly had no success at untangling the lock – there are a lot of possible configurations which can be set.

"I don't know this one. You're so clever, Sis!"

They peek through the entrance.

Mystic Maya's deep in her meditative trance, eyes closed.

"Um, maybe we shouldn't worry her?"

"But this is an emergency!" Dahlia charges into the cavern. "Mystic Maya! Mystic Maya! Sorry to disturb you, but do you know where Pearl could have gone tonight? Pearl is missing. She might be in trouble – we thought we heard her screaming!"

"Iris? Pearly?"

"Pearl's missing, do you know where she might be?"

"_PEARLY_! We have to find her!"

"Do you know where to look?"

"No! Oh, I _have_ to find her! PEARLY!" Maya leaps off the ice, tearing off her hood. Iris cowered in the shadows as Dahlia and Maya tore out of the cavern. It was instinctive to cover for her sister --- Maya thought Dahlia WAS Iris, and there was no time or reason to want to explain.

"I'll search this way, you search THAT way," Iris hears Dahlia direct. Maya charges off, and Iris ran back to Dahlia's side.

"But didn't you say there was a killer looking for Maya too," muses Dahlia. "I know! You get back in the cavern! Then the killer will think Mystic Maya is still locked inside, instead of tracking her and putting her in danger. A decoy. And you'll be safe too!"

"Um, shouldn't I look for.." Dahlia is already enthusiastically dragging her back into the cavern. Iris was secretly grateful -- it would be much better in here than out there with scary murderers on the loose, and acting as decoy was helping protect Mystic Maya, wasn't it? It's too late now, anyway, Dahlia's already locked the cavern [maybe with the trick lock configuration Iris showed her last month?] It can't be opened from the inside.

"I'll protect you! I'm already dead!" And Dahlia's gone. [And, unknown to Iris, quite sure she knows where Pearl is 'hiding'.]

###

When the police removed her from the cavern, Iris claimed she knew nothing. She assumed Dahlia had stabbed Misty, and of course she would protect her sister.

Somebody had been channelling Dahlia - Iris wasn't sure who. But then she figured out it must have been Pearl, that little girl, just as Mother had planned. Maybe Dahlia didn't know then, since she said Pearl was 'missing'. Of _course_ Iris would never tell the police Pearl stabbed Misty while channelling. In hindsight, that was probably Morgan's real plot all along – have Misty stabbed as vengeance. Iris offered a prayer for her Mother's tortured soul. [And knowing how things were, maybe Misty was the one originally plotting to kill Pearl, like Dahlia mentioned?]

The police didn't do too much questioning. Since she was locked in the cavern most of the night, and never met Mr Godot at 10pm, they soon believed her claims she knew nothing, and let her go. Somebody, apparently, had claimed she and Godot had planned a meeting at 10pm, but since it never happened, and her and Mr Godot were so both able to convincingly deny its existence they evidently decided the third party was lying, and seemed to drop any suspicion of her knowledge or involvement.

She certainly didn't tell about how she'd cowered, petrified, as Feenie had yelled and banged on the cavern doorway – they might demand to know why she was too scared to answer him!

###

Iris returned to the mountain and tried to ignore anything to do with the trial. When Bikini mentioned [panicked] that 'Brother' Phoenix was on trial for murder in the city, she blanked this evident deja-vu. It was just a recurring nightmare, a delusion. It was over, not really happening again. Feenie was gone from the mountain for good, and the nightmare was finally closed.

###

* * *

Notes: _Since it's an AU, Hazakurain's spirit channelling training complex is marginally different than in 3-5. The negative publicity Kurain got over State vs Engarde led to more people going to Hazakurain instead, so they upgraded._


	7. Chapter 7

_ This chapter is very long, but I couldn't find a logical place to split it, and updating with 2 chapters is confusing. Should I split it for future readers? Tell me what you think._  
_ Oh, and uncovering a plot via a court trial is more difficult than it might appear. Particularly when our protagonists can't expose the truth in their usual methods of cross examinations and investigations and the people who do have these methods have their own agendas._

_Also, this site censors out long strings of unbroken aaaas..._

* * *

[chapter 7]

_11 Feb 2019_

**MAYA:**

The trial is a nightmare.

It's my third murder trial, but I don't seem to get any less petrified with experience. Mr Godot was supposed to have been an excellent defense attorney, back in the day, but I find it hard to trust him the way I could.. could..

I can only feel sick as right from his opener, he unveils the predicted tactic of pinning the murder on Nick. For once I'm pleased it's Ms Von Karma and her obsession with a 'perfect win' – me not being guilty of the murder would be a 'loss', and she's still seething over me getting declared 'innocent' last year, so if there's evidence to show Nick's innocence, hopefully she's found it. But Godot's a pro, and he already has the Judge and audience captive to his 'trite' tale, hanging out for more.

I wince. I hope Nick doesn't think Mr Godot's stance was any of my idea. I crane my neck to see him –far away in a distant part of the courtroom, surrounded by police and guards. I can't catch his eye.

Of course, I'd lain awake at night, knowing what Nick's 'saving me' this time might have meant. Apparently, he was willing to get a killer declared innocent [and risk Ms Andrews' murder by proxy] in an attempt to save me. But that was then and… even if he'd kill to protect me, somehow I can't picture him doing it so…. precisely. The other reason I've lain awake at night…is that I can't help thinking Ms Von Karma's theory of events…. is the real one. I've seen that kind of stabbing before - On _Samurai Blood Moon III_, just for starters…

The audience falls silent as Ms Von Karma begins the proceedings in earnest, with her presentation and reconstruction of events in conjunction with one of her witness investigators, Officer Meekins. Officer Meekins is very flighty. The entire duration of his testimony, he keeps his eye on Ms Von Karma's whip, rather than the judge or courtroom. Whenever she considers Meekins' explanation not up to par, Von Karma butts in with her own explanations, simultaneously adding to a tally on one of the papers on her desk.

Things have gone into a kind of defensive fog and I can only force myself to concentrate on events unfolding right in front of me, as if it's a kind of TV show. Maybe a horror movie. I've fallen into a kind of numbness. The whole thing is hazy, like I'm watching a movie in a bad dream.

_**TESTIMONY:**_

"The investigation very clearly showed what happened."

"The victim was stabbed through the heart, a perfect blow with clear intent to kill."

"The knife – the murder weapon – was still buried in the victim's chest."

"Examining the wound showed it was the death blow – the weapon was not exchanged later. There are no other major injuries on the victim – this is the cause of death."

"The accused – Maya Fey's –prints were all over the murder weapon, very clearly and cleanly, evidence she grasped it in her right hand. A few prints from the victim remain, but the accused's cover or deface most of them.

"No other prints are on the murder weapon."

"The accused had been previously stabbed by the victim. This is clearly her motive to subsequently commit murder. The nature of the wound directly to the heart shows clear intent to kill, not merely cripple in self defense."

"The murder occurred like this: Either the defendant, Maya Fey, or the victim, was armed with the knife. The victim attained the knife and stabbed Maya Fey in the left arm and side. "

"The knife became lodged in Maya Fey's side, allowing Maya Fey to seize the murder weapon."

"She then used it to stab the victim in the heart with clear intent to kill. Her motive – self defense, and anger at being attacked."

Ms Von Karma's presentation seems amazingly solid. She seems to have forced the investigators and forensics to pre-empt every possible contradiction – she must be even more incensed at her 'loss' at my trial last year than I thought. The rumours after _State vs Engarde_ were, of course, that Nick somehow cheated, and my true innocence was a fluke. This is probably vengeance in her mind.

I glance over at Mr Godot, fearing he'll be similarly intimidated.

But it's Godot's cue to thrill the audience, with a dramatic evidence presentation in tandem with a coffee slam. "This is the robe Phoenix Wright was wearing when he was found at the murder scene by police." The audience and Judge all gasp – it's spectacularly soaked and spattered with blood. "See how it is torn – clearly this occurred in a tussle with the victim! And Mr Wright did not sustain injury, so it is not his own blood. Really, does this look like the clothes of an innocent man, absent from the murder?"

The audience have drunk in his theatrics. It doesn't matter if there's possible alternate reasons for everything later – the impact of the horror-movie imagery has raised Nick's guilt in the minds of the courtroom.

"Clearly Phoenix Wright witnessed the pursuit and/or attack on Maya Fey, obscured himself in the darkness, probably hiding behind the stone lantern. When Maya Fey passed unconscious, she dropped the knife. He saw his opportunity, seized it with the folds of his cloak, and leapt out and stabbed the victim. His motive – protecting Maya Fey!"

"As for the fact he executed a cruel, brutal killing blow, he was likely incensed Maya Fey had already received serious injury, and was out for vengeance."

"Maya Fey clearly passed unconscious before the killing blow. When she awoke, she observed her mother was already dead – and Phoenix Wright was there with her! I assume this matches with her testimony to police, Ms Von Karma?"

"Maybe so." Ms Von Karma is unperturbed. "But why believe the claims of a murder suspect? How convenient she 'just happened' to 'pass out' in time for the killing blow!"

Godot's ready with explanation. "Maya Fey pulled the knife out of her side – perhaps this action lead to greater bleeding and injury, the physiological trauma causing her to lose consciousness!"

"That raises a point, Ms Von Karma," decides the Judge. "Could Maya Fey have actually stabbed the victim in that manner after receiving such injuries?"

"Of course, Mr Judge." She curtseys pretentiously. "Doctors examined Maya Fey thoroughly. Shortly after the injuries occurred, Maya Fey would have been quite capable of standing and using the right side of her body normally, including stabbing the victim. Her poor physiological condition on discovery was caused mainly by loss of blood as time wore on. The adrenaline rush from the situation – thinking she was about to be murdered – would allow her reflexes and instincts to quite competently protect her just after her injuries. Here is the medical report!"

"HOLD IT! This report merely says it's 'possible' she retained consciousness for some minutes after the knife's removal. It doesn't say she did! That's hardly conclusive!"

"Who cares. The report proves Maya Fey could well have performed the murder. And she is guilty until proven innocent! What evidence do you have to support your claim, Mr Godot? Nothing but the defendant's lies!"

"Mr Godot also makes up foolish conjecture to compensate since his little story has no actual evidence to support it! He claims Phoenix Wright seized the knife in the folds of his cloak. Would he really go to all this ridiculous forethought in the heat of the moment?"

"Of course." Mr Godot tilts his mug in taunting relaxation. "An axe murderer will not cut himself with the axe! Mr Wright was a defense attorney until a year ago. Even in such an immediate situation, he'd instinctively know not to leave his own prints before committing murder. And if a third person's hand grabbed the knife, the victim would likely notice. In the darkness, his dark sleeve would go un-noticed. Furthermore, Maya Fey was stabbed twice. It's possible he observed –and planned- his attack for some moments before making his move."

"None of your little theory is based on sense or conclusive evidence, Mr Godot," retaliates Von Karma, smirkishly brandishing her whip. "It's decisively proven Maya Fey was present at the time of the victim's fatality, it's decisively proven she handled the murder weapon just before it was stabbed into the victim's heart, and decisively proven she had a clear and direct motive to such violence – the victim had attacked and twice stabbed her!"

"All your claims over Phoenix Wright are based on nothing but a foolish product of your imagination. Clearly, Maya Fey's guilt is the only reasonable scenario. Case closed."

"OBJECTION!" roars Godot, slamming his mug and spraying half the courthouse with coffee. "The entire premise is ludicrous. Elise was actually Maya's mother, Misty Fey." He enters the relevant police records and ID into evidence.

"Why would she want to kill or attack her only surviving daughter? It's proven Maya Fey was stabbed twice so clearly attacked – and Elise received no notable injuries other than the fatal blow, so Elise was not 'attacking in self defense'."

Von Karma smirks and curtseys. "Of course I knew Ms Deauxnim's true identity, Your Honour. I just did not wish to overly complicate the case unnecessarily."

I feel my stomach cringe at Mother's name. It's still so hard to accept the truth. Through the sickening tremours I can't help wondering why Mr Godot's raising this. I guess he's forcing Ms Von Karma to come up with a motive, thinking she can't.

Both Mr Godot and Ms Von Karma know about the Kurain Technique and channelling. I wonder if either will raise the topic to the court? Probably not unless they are forced to do so – it's still considered a fraud, and the Judge may disregard their arguments.

Mr Godot knows I was chased and attacked by somebody being channelled – and that she is Dahlia Hawthorne, Morgan's other daughter. "Somebody who looked a lot like Sister Iris but wasn't," I described her as. "I thought she _was_ Sister Iris, right until she tried to stab me." I think the questioning police thought I was making it up, which didn't help my case at all.

Or maybe Mr Godot WANTS the channelling raised, thinking Ms Von Karma won't be able to handle it? Surely he won't claim Nick stabbed me as well. Nobody would ever believe that.

"Hmm, then why don't we let Maya Fey herself testify? I'm sure that would *_greatly_* support your theory of Phoenix Wright's guilt. She can tell us herself of why and how the fatal mother-daughter spat occurred, as she did in questioning. By the way, Mr Godot, I can enter her previous statement to police as evidence, so if it's changed unreasonably, we will know she is or was lying."

Mr Godot's responding coffee-gulping suggests he'd prefer I did not testify, but to express this would cast more suspicion on me - what am I hiding? A suite of guards escort me to the witness stand again.

Somehow, I numbly force my legs to obey. The courtroom wavers up and down like a toxic ocean. I try to focus like in spirit training so I won't just fall apart or throw up or something. I'm not sure why she's so eager to have me testify, but all I can do is try to tell the truth, again.

_**TESTIMONY: Maya Fey**_

"I was doing a spiritual training course in the cavern, when Sister Iris unlocked the door and came in."

"Sister Iris told me Pearl was missing, did I know where she might be? She said they thought they heard her screaming somewhere. I was really worried so I decided to help look for Pearl."

"Iris and I decided to split up and look for Pearl faster. I ran away."

"I searched around the complex. After a few minutes I noticed someone was sneaking up behind me. At first I thought it was Pearl."

"Then the person appeared and I thought it was Sister Iris - they looked exactly the same as Sister Iris. I turned to greet her. She walked beside me for a minute. Then suddenly she leapt on me – I noticed she was holding a knife, and she tried to stab me."

"I flung myself away and managed to roll out of the path of the knife just in time. I was confused, but I started to run away. I think I'd hurt myself avoiding the knife the first time. I soon found I'd been chased down a dead end."

"The woman pushed me against this big stone pillar. I still thought she might be Sister Iris, but the way she talked and acted didn't sound like her. She tried to stab me again, and I tried to move out of the way, but the knife stabbed my arm, and I fell down. I was confused about the talisman I saw fall out around her neck."

"I think she then taunted me about how she was going to kill me slowly, and see me in hell, and I knew I was going to die. Then I felt her stab me in the side. I thought I was dying."

"I realised the knife must still be stuck in me, because I could feel it piercing into some part of me. I got really scared. Sort of automatically, I pulled the knife out of me. I held it in my hand for a moment."

"Then my memory stops. It's just a blank. Probably I passed out."

"The next thing I remember, I woke up later and I saw my mother's dead body on the ground in front of me."

*_Don't think. Don't think_.* I focus my attention all on Ms Von Karma, to blank out the thought and image of M..Mother…

"See?" My ears fill with von Karma's displacing jubilant cry. "Maya Fey is obviously guilty, because she is lying! She keeps testifying she saw Sister Iris, but this is proven totally impossible, as my next presentation will describe. Then she claims she was chased and stabbed by this 'person who looked like Sister Iris' but the only other fingerprints on the knife she claimed stabbed her belong to Elise Deauxnim! And as we can see, the victim looks nothing like Sister Iris, even in the dark! Furthermore, she testifies she saw the victim's dead body shortly after, and identified it as her mother! 'My mother was dead.'"

"That's very interesting, Ms Von Karma," reasons the Judge appreciatively. "Could not this 'Sister Iris' have chased Maya Fey, and then Elise Deauxnim ambushed and attacked Ms Fey? Why is this 'Sister Iris' not a suspect?"

"Thank you for raising that, Mr Judge! The next part of my presentation proves it was impossible for Sister Iris to have been present at the murder, or to have aided in the final battle! All claims have been verified with decisive evidence and multiple independent witnesses and alibis."

**VON KARMA: Impossible for Sister Iris to be present at murder – events reconstruction**

"During the evening, another guest, 8 year old Pearl Fey went missing. Naturally, Sister Iris and Sister Bikini were alarmed, especially due to the snow and freezing weather. By around 10pm, Pearl Fey still had not been found."

"Sister Iris unlocked the cavern where Maya Fey was doing a spiritual training exercise, and asked her if she knew where Pearl might be, it being an emergency situation. Maya Fey demanded to help search for Pearl Fey, and Maya Fey and Sister Iris then exited the cavern."

"Sister Iris suggested they could search faster by splitting up, and Maya Fey immediately ran off, out of Sister Iris' sight. "

"A few minutes later, Sister Iris decided she should not leave the cavern open and unattended. Sister Bikini would arrive shortly for her turn on watch, and would be alarmed to find it unlocked and Sister Iris and Maya Fey both missing. "

"Sister Iris went into the cavern to wait, closing the door behind her."

"A minute later, someone else arrived, and locked the cavern. It could not be locked or unlocked from inside." Ms Von Karma here presents into evidence the Psyche-Lock in question and its properties. "Sister Iris assumed it was Sister Bikini, and went to ask to be let out, but there was no one there."

"Police examined the lock for fingerprints. Apart from Sister Iris' fingerprints, explained from locking Maya Fey in the cavern earlier that night, there were fresh prints from two individuals:

The victim, Elise Deauxnim,

and Phoenix Wright."

The audience and Judge begin to gasp theatrically. _I_ try to avoid just flattening my head to the... well there isn't much in the way of comforts near the defendant's chair.

"Seemingly unaware of Sister Iris," smirks von Karma in continuation, "Phoenix Wright testified to police that he went to the cavern looking for Maya Fey, trying to determine if she was inside, but the cavern was already locked. He did not know how to open it, and since Maya Fey did not reply, continued to search elsewhere. This was at least 5 minutes BEFORE the murder – clearly Sister Iris was already locked inside."

"Sister Bikini arrived for her guard shift a few minutes later, unaware of the murder. She checked the lock, and it was secure at that point. She assumed Maya Fey was training inside, so she did not disturb her by announcing her presence."

"Sister Bikini stood guard continuously at the cavern entrance until police arrived at the cavern around 30 minutes after the murder, and unlocked the cavern for police to find Sister Iris still inside, conducting a prayer meditation."

"The evidence proves Sister Iris could not have taken part in the murder, she was locked in the cavern for the duration! Either Elise Deauxnim or Phoenix Wright locked her in!"

"HOLD IT!" Godot is ecstatic.

"Ha...! Doesn't this just add to the suspicious body of evidence against Phoenix Wright – locking away a potential witness to his crime!"

"OBJECTION! No, Mr Godot. Nowhere in your foolish little theory have you claimed Phoenix Wright planned his supposed 'murder' in intricate forethought detail. Our interrogators drilled him quite thoroughly, and he genuinely seems to have gone to check if Maya Fey was inside and was distressed he could not unlock the cavern to find out. You yourself claim his motive to allegedly kill was protecting Maya Fey – so his motive to visit the cavern appears genuine. You must agree, to not do so would be contradictory."

"And regardless, even if he did lock the cavern, it changes nothing! Sister Iris was inside, and locked in, BEFORE the murder. Perhaps, in the confusion, Phoenix Wright locked the cavern for security purposes, knowing it should be locked, on the off-chance Maya Fey still was inside?"

"But our investigation believes it was Elise Deauxnim. If she intended to pursue Maya Fey, perhaps she had observed Maya Fey and Sister Iris exit the cavern to search earlier, and then locked Sister Iris in to prevent her intervening in her subsequent attack on Maya Fey."

"Well, that seems very conclusive!" appreciates the Judge. "It appears an unnecessary delay, but I suppose it's within your rights to demand testimony from Sister Iris to verify matters, Mr Godot?"

"Indeed, I have Sister Iris present right in this courtroom, if necessary," curtseys Von Karma arrogantly. Mr Godot glances at her whip's direction. It's probably not noticed by the court, but he then starts chugging coffee in his 'hyper-agitation' ritual.

I glance at Sister Iris too. I can't really tell anything's amiss from here, but he's a lot closer.

"No, Mr Judge, I think that's conclusive enough at this point in time. Maybe it will be required later."

"Very well. I'm hungry, so I think it's time for a recess…"

"HOLD IT!" The Judge blinks in recoil at Mr Godot's sudden volume. "Ms Von Karma has spent tedious lengths of time proving Sister Iris was not present at the murder. Yet she has failed to account for Maya Fey's own repeated claims she saw 'someone who looked like Sister Iris' pursue and stab her! This is a clear and unexplained contradiction!"

"Oh, that is easily explained. Perhaps the defendant was still delusional, recently having come from her meditation trance, and since Sister Iris roused her from it originally, assumed in the dark her pursuer was the same."

"Or perhaps she cannot consciously deal with the guilt of murdering her mother, or the trauma of her own mother attacking her, and her imagination has since altered events to make it seem this 'imaginary person like Sister Iris' was the one who pursued her and she stabbed as a psychological defense. She seemed to be unaware the victim was her mother until after she was dead – this would be a severe psychological shock."

"Indeed," muses the Judge, "a tragic case, but all this confusion or lying does seem to indicate Maya Fey's guilt."

My head could just _split_. I'd been keeping myself immersed in the present, shallow moment, trying not to think too hard about it, but suddenly the full tide of the prosecution's accusations stop delaying and punch me through the face. *_Maybe I did kill Mother_*. Some things are off, but too many of Ms Von Karma's main ideas make all too much sense.

I'd vowed to stay strong at the trial but suddenly I feel I'm about to just _collapse_.

*_Focus, Maya! Don't cry.._*

Under the waterfall, we train ourselves to just endure, and endure...

But some weak, stupid part of me keeps screaming that the physical assault of the freezing water is somehow different to this tourture of the courtroom. This _could_ kill me - irrespective of how much I doggedly endure - in a very different way. And now I don't seem to be able to concentrate at all.

Worse, I suddenly remember *_who_* I used to think of to endure the waterfall tourture.

Hastily I remember the meditations to stay afloat. *_Clear. Your. Mind_...*

"OBJECTION!" I startle as Godot slams his coffee with greater-than-usual enthusiasm.

"Maya Fey is not lying, or delusional."

"As you are aware, I know, Ms Von Karma, this was a training site for spirit mediums. Elise was currently channelling a spirit. From her description and family background, I believe it was Dahlia Hawthorne, who was executed last month. She is a relative of Iris of Hazakurain, hence the description."

Ms von Karma directs one of her underlings to search up some information in police records about Dahlia Hawthorne, and her own records of the Kurain situation from _State vs Maya Fey [2017]_

"And I believe this belief in Dahlia Hawthorne was also shared by Phoenix Wright, Ms Von Karma?"

I expect her to object, but she looks shaken. Clearly this is exactly what he testified to police.

But a second later she jerks back into vengeance.

"Just further motive to suggest Maya Fey's guilt! This 'Dahlia Hawthorne' is the defendant's cousin, and a potential threat to her succession as Master! Maya Fey was probably unaware of Ms Hawthone's mortal status, and thought she was engaging in clan warfare to slay a clearly antagonistic rival to the Master position! She had no idea of the irony it was actually her own mother. The shock of the victim's transformation back into her dead mother likely caused the defendant to fall into unconsciousness."

Now the channelling's out on the bench, Mr. Godot is hyper-cocky. I know he has some plan in mind around this. But Ms Von Karma seemed prepared. She whipped her subordinate into bringing up some files and information, and the way she is smirking, she's also hyper-confident about whatever Plan B she's switched to here.

"A dramatic story, Ms Von Karma. And all a lie. Maya Fey didn't know who Dahlia Hawthorne was – she thought she was Iris! But yes, Elise Deauxnim was channelling the spirit of Dahlia Hawthorne at the time of the attack and murder. This accounts for the defendant's supposed 'confusion' and continual description of her attacker and pursuer as 'someone who looked like Sister Iris', despite Sister Iris' proven presence in the cavern."

"And there was one person present who did know Dahlia Hawthorne –and had a clear grudge and motive to kill her in his own right – Phoenix Wright!"

"Phoenix Wright had a second clear and decisive motive to murder the victim – his proven pre-existing antagonism against Dahlia Hawthorne. Dahlia Hawthorne is Phoenix Wright's ex-lover, who 5 years ago betrayed him, framed him for murder, and planned to poison him. I will prove it, with clear and decisive evidence!"

The Judge blinks in bug-eyed shock, the audience stands erupt.

"TAKE THAT! I present to the court, _State Vs Phoenix Wright 2013_. The trial video and transcript is there in total for the court's examination. Now I will demonstrate excerpts from it illustrating Mr Wright's clear dual motives to commit murder!"

"The murder Mr Wright was framed for and put on trial for was actually committed by his then girlfriend, Dahlia Hawthorne! Her guilt soon became clear to the court, his defense attorney and probably Mr Wright himself. Yet he continued to protect his girlfriend out of obsessive loyalty to her, even though this thwarted his defense attorney clearing his name and risked death to himself. The same insanity which leads Mr Wright to protect his 'female interests' from death in the courtroom – also leads him to defend – even commit murder – when she's under attack. In _State vs Wright 2013_, he testifies how he violently shoved that case's victim because he simply said a bad word about his girlfriend. Imagine what he'd have done if he'd come across someone stabbing her!"

"And we also have an even clearer second motive! Later in that same trial, Phoenix Wright discovered that Dahlia Hawthorne had not only betrayed his trust and relationship, but had planned to poison him!" [Godot plays a string of scenes from this betrayal revelation now, poor Nick a sodden, sobbing and congested mess.] "His reward for such loyalty to his girlfriend was that she was going to murder him!"

"5 years later, when Phoenix Wright finally meets Dahlia Hawthorne again, she's in the act of attacking and stabbing Maya Fey! Naturally, Wright was outraged not only by the attack on Maya Fey, but seeking vengeance on the woman who betrayed him, tried to poison him, and framed him for murder. Strip the coffee of its sugar, and it's again bitter as hell!"

"Phoenix Wright observed Maya Fey being attacked by Dahlia Hawthorne, saw his opportunity, seized the knife, and stabbed the victim. His motives: directly protecting Maya Fey and vengeance on the woman who betrayed and tried to murder him. Case closed."

From the chaos of the crowd, which the Judge spends a lengthy period slamming his gavel to eventually silence, I can't help thinking they've been converted to Mr Godot's story. I wilt in my chair; it's all like a bad dream and I don't really want to think any of this is happening at all. But the Judge is now speaking.

"This is a very interesting theory of the defense. But I have a serious qualm with this alledged 'channelling' of Dahlia Hawthorne. Mr Godot! Can we even prove this 'channelling' occurred? Might it not be a lie or delusion concocted by Maya Fey and Phoenix Wright? What if it didn't really happen? Doesn't that render your theory impossible?"

But Godot doesn't miss a beat.

"Whether it occurred or not is irrelevant, Your Honour. All that is required is that Phoenix Wright believed the victim was Dahlia Hawthone when he decided to stab her. In the darkness, hiding behind the stone, perhaps he did not get a clear enough view of the victim to make him believe otherwise. Mr Wright himself testified to police he thought Dahlia Hawthorne was after Maya Fey – and acted accordingly. It's hard to drink an antidote for poison of the mind."

"Ms Von Karma," queries the Judge, "does this not support Mr Wright's guilt over Ms Fey?"

"Of course not! As for Maya Fey, she had just been roused from a deep meditation and trance by the real Sister Iris. In the darkness, confusion, and subsequent recollection of such traumatic events, it must be difficult for Maya Fey to accept she was attacked and twice stabbed by her own mother - and then murdered her in instinctive retaliation. It's quite likely, at the time or later, her imagination did perceive the attacker as someone else.

"As for Misty Fey stabbing Maya Fey – perhaps she _was_ in her delusional trance where she believed she was channelling a spirit? It matters not if the entire exercise is fraudulent – the participants merely had to believe enough for their own confusion to occur."

"An intricate, foolish theory by the defense," Von Karma continues in jubilance. "But you have failed to give any evidence Phoenix Wright was yet on the scene, and thus your theory of motive is still BASELESS CONJECTURE! Maya Fey was proven to be on the scene, and her prints are on the murder weapon. No evidence or testimony at all that Phoenix Wright was present at time of murder exist! In no way have you proven Maya Fey innocent!"

"I have to agree, you have a point, Ms Von Karma," the Judge admits. "Mr Godot, your theory seems very solid, but without a shred of evidence to support it, I can only dismiss it and accept the prosecution's theory as the reasonable one. Maya Fey's prints are on the murder weapon. She herself claims not to even recall the moment of stabbing, but admits she handled the murder weapon just before. Most obviously, in the panic and confusion of the attack and 'channelling', she instinctively struck back in clear self-defense. A tragic case, but murder is illegal, even in such horrific circumstances.."

"OBJECTION!"

"Silence, Mr Godot. I'm ready to give my verdict."

In spite of myself, I notice my body has begun to shake.

"I'm afraid there's not enough evidence of insanity to rule manslaughter. I now pronounce the defendant, Maya Fey, GU.."

"OBJECTION!"

Something instinctively jars and surges through my body at the interruption from my fate. My mind catches up through the surrealistic fog, then returns to it. *_It's not the same as it was then_*.

"Who was that? New evidence, Mr Godot?"

"Bailiff, restrain him!"

"I believe that was Mr Wright over there, Your Honour. Maybe he wishes to testify – with a confession?"

"Very well. Bailiff, escort Mr Wright to the witness stand. What was your outburst, Mr Wright? I'm ready to charge you with contempt of court."

"I wish to testify. I've withheld information from the police and court!"

"Then I'm charging you with perjury as well, Mr Wright. Do you accept?"

"OBJECTION!" Ms Von Karma whips the floor like a child. "Your Honour was giving a verdict! No further foolish testimony is required!"

"I believe it is – on the grounds Mr Wright is making a confession of significance. If not, I will rule Ms Fey guilty of murder immediately. Mr Wright must state something which proves Maya Fey could not have stabbed the victim!"

"Can I cross-examine.."

"No. I will only accept decisive proof, not more theories and inconsistencies. Okay, Mr Wright, you had better have not wasted our time!"

The contents of my digestive system had lurched themselves into a knot as soon as Nick had started leaping up and yelling. I temporarily cease to notice my own situation and turmoils as I'm consumed with watching his approaching figure. I haven't seen him since… t-then. The CCTVs of the courtroom fill with his image as he ascends the stand.

The darkened eye rings and scattered hair spikes suggest someone sleepless and emotionally frayed, but Nick's eyes are contradictorily set with a sort of jaded and resigned resolution.

Has he found a contradiction which will save me? Some stupid, naive part of me still flares with hope.

But no, those eyes are nothing like when he'd throw evidence and objections in peoples' faces back then. But he hasn't fallen apart either. His expression is quiet yet chilling. I don't know what to think of it.

_**Testimony: Phoenix Wright**_

"I met Mr Godot. He explained there was a 'killer on the loose, targeting Maya Fey.' He directed me to go and search for 'her'."

"Since he was with the justice department, I obeyed his instructions."

"Mr Godot went away to the other side of the mountain, I assume searching like he said he would."

"I first went to the cavern. I thought Maya Fey might still be inside, doing her training course, but there was no answer. There was a lock on the door that I couldn't open."

"Then I started checking the area in methodical order as directed. Suddenly, I heard screaming and noises. I looked in the direction they came from and saw flashes of red light. I ran toward where the light and sounds had come from."

"When I got there, Maya Fey was passed out near the stone pillar. I was almost sure she was unconscious, and she was badly wounded from Dahlia's attack. A knife was lying nearby on the ground, I could see it because of one of the lights. I hid behind the pillar and grabbed it before Dahlia could. I grabbed it using the folds of my sleeve, both to obscure myself in the darkness and provide some slight protection from attack."

"Dahlia was focussed on Maya Fey, and hadn't observed me properly. I was able to leap out and stab her cleanly before she had properly registered there was a third person on the scene. Her brief attempts to fight back did little but tear and damage my clothes, which I was still using to shield myself. I knew I shouldn't leave prints. I was unaware Maya Fey had touched the weapon previously, so I did not think to wipe her prints off."

The courtroom falls into stunned silence for a moment.

This is surreal. It can't be – isn't – happening.

"Why, this changes things significantly!" concedes the Judge.

"OBJECTION!" To my amazement, Ms Von Karma is complacent and smirking.

"No cross-examination, Mr Godot? Because Phoenix's Wright's 'confession' is all a contradictory LIE! It does not correspond with the facts of this case. He continually testifies about lights, YET THERE WERE NO LIGHTS AT THE SCENE! And his own testimony of them contradicts his usage of darkness to facilitate committing the murder!"

"I see no reason that this is significant enough grounds to doubt his confession, Ms Von Karma. He has explicitly confessed!"

"Oh, but Your Honour, Phoenix Wright's 'confession' should be ignored. He has a history of such criminal tactics to protect murderers. And I will prove it!"

"No, Ms Von Karma. Phoenix Wright has pled guilty to murder. Any discrepancies can be uncovered at his retrial. In light of this, I'm ready to give my verdict. Pending retrial, Phoenix Wright is gu.."

"OBJECTION!"

My body's taken on an instinctive life of its own. I've leapt out of my seat, ignorant of the pain of the injuries, the security freaking out, my physical distress.

"DEFENDANT! Restrain her!"

"No!"

A guard is crushing me back into my seat. My muscles resist, but have no effect.

Ms Von Karma speaks up. "Oh, but the defendant hasn't had an opportunity to make her own confession. Let her speak.'

"Nick, why?"

"Why? Why.. what?"

"Why now? Why then? Why ever? _State vs Engarde_.. why did you do it?"

"I.. I couldn't let you die. Not for anything."

_Nick…_

"You heard him!" I yell at the Judge. "'I couldn't let you die, not for anything.' He's only 'confessing' to protect me." Nick's eyes well with fear. But thankfully the Judge seems to be reconsidering making a verdict.

"And do you have proof to support this, Ms Von Karma?"

"Of course, Mr Judge! There's a reason I charged him as suspected accomplice or accessory to murder," she continues. "Ever since we've brought him into questioning, he's suspected of protecting Maya Fey!"

"TAKE THAT! The evidence for Phoenix Wright's motive to lie has already been entered – _State vs Phoenix Wright 2013_! Phoenix Wright protects Dahlia Hawthorne, well after she is clearly shown guilty of murder in the courts, even though this means a guilty verdict and death penalty for himself – when he knows he is innocent! He is repeating that proven precedent behaviour here!"

"And I will enter additional evidence: _State vs Matthew Engarde 2018_! Let me explain with this evidence how Phoenix Wright is clearly lying to protect Maya Fey! Here is the trial video and transcript, should I replay or have read the relevant parts now?"

"Oh, I understand now!" exclaims the Judge. "Was he in love with Matt Engarde?"

"No, Mr Judge. Matt Engarde hired an assassin who kidnapped Maya Fey, with Matt Engarde's acquittal the requirement for her release. Without a thought, Phoenix Wright attempted to get Matt Engarde acquitted, using every lie and obvious dirty cheat imaginable, and became the disgrace of the nation. Phoenix Wright had built and constructed a reputation and sure lucrative career as a promising attorney. Yet he threw it away without thought, exposing himself as the sham he was and forcing him to disappear from society in disgrace. All to protect Maya Fey!"

Now one of her underlings is playing a select highlight from _State vs Engarde_ on the courtroom TVs. I never really watched this part properly with Mr Godot – I was too floored by this point, and he seemed to consider it unimportant.

**_de Killer: I think your cross-examination has clearly demonstrated_**

**_something to me._**

**_de Killer: You... You must wish to break your end of our agreement!_**

**_Phoenix: No! That's not..._**

**_de Killer: That's enough! If that is your intention, then there is only one thing for me to do!_**

**_Phoenix: W-Wait! Please!_**

**_de Killer: Gentlemen, ladies, please excuse me. I have a matter that I must attend to._**

**_Phoenix: *HOLD IT!* N...No... Please... Not that... Please wait..._**

**_de Killer: Mr. Attorney! Bring this trial to a speedy end, and I may stay my hand! Otherwise..._**

**_Phoenix: Nnnngh..._**

**_Gnwaaa aaaaa aaaaa aaaaa aaaaa aaaaa aaaaa aaaaa aaaaa aaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!_**

**_Judge: What in the...? Mr. Wright...?_**

**_Are you...?_**

**_Phoenix: ..._**

"All the assassin has to do is allude he might harm Maya Fey, and Phoenix Wright will perform any lying, unethical act in a court of law to save her!"

The Judge's eyes bug. "A fascinating claim, Ms Von Karma. But isn't pleading guilty to murder just a little too extreme?"

"Not for Phoenix Wright with his proven history, Mr Judge. I will show the court the relevant sections of the evidence. Here again is _State vs Phoenix Wright 2013_!"

Von Karma is buoyant as she directs the Judge's attention to a part of the trial, with promise she'll now assemble more to support her claims for the court to view. "Phoenix Wright has a proven track record of lying in court to protect his female interests. He does not have a proven track record of murder or violence! Maya Fey is clearly guilty, and Phoenix Wright is covering for her, in identical fashion to his covering for the obvious murderer, Dahlia Hawthorne, in _State vs Phoenix Wright 2013_!

"But is it proven he would protect Maya Fey to the same extent?" questions the Judge.

"Of course, Your Honour. You yourself presided over _State vs Matthew Engarde_ last year. As I explained earlier, Phoenix Wright lied compulsively, used every dirty and dangerous tactic to get an obvious murderer declared innocent, and threw away a promising law career. All to protect Maya Fey, who was taken hostage!

"OBJECTION!" Godot's throwing coffee now. "Does this mean you're now retracting your earlier theory Phoenix Wright was absent from the scene at the time of murder, Ms Von Karma?"

"Of course not. Phoenix Wright will protect Maya Fey whether he saw the actual murder or not. He did not see the actual murder in _State vs Phoenix Wright 2013_ , but he protected his ex-girlfriend by default, blindly assuming her innocence in his insanity of loyalty to her! This is a clear repeat. And if he did see her commit the murder, it just gives him further motive to give a 'confession' to protect her, instead of letting the courts decide the truth! He protected Dahlia Hawthorne well after it was obvious his faith and trust was in error. He even ate evidence which threatened to conclusively prove her guilt!" [Ms Von Karma takes the opportunity to replay this unfortunate moment on the courtroom's TV monitors now.]

"He only stopped protecting Dahlia Hawthorne when it was revealed she betrayed him – not because she was a murderer!"

Ms Von Karma brandishes her whip with the other hand whilst one of her underlings hastily runs up the relevant sections of _State vs Phoenix Wright [2013]_ to prove her claims. As well as the existing entire video and transcription of the trial already in evidence, we now get Ms Von Karma's latest director's cut in addition.

"OBJECTION! Mr Wright never confessed to the murder in _State vs Wright 2013_. The prosecution's parallel is flawed!"

Ms Von Karma is instantaneous in reply. "But Dahlia Hawthorne was not the defendant and Phoenix Wright was. All that was required to protect her was to fail to prove Dahlia Hawthorne's guilt, not her innocence. He didn't need to confirm his own 'guilt' to protect her. In this trial, he can only save Maya Fey from her deserved verdict by 'proving' her innocence!"

But the Judge is unmoved. "I'm sorry, Ms Von Karma. _State vs Phoenix Wright 2013_ still seems to support the Defense's theory better than the prosecution. It gives Phoenix Wright a clear pre-existing motive for antagonism against the victim – after such loyalty, his ex-lover not only betrayed him but tried to murder him! And it confirms he will go to extreme lengths to protect his female interests – and given the situation and particular circumstances, it's highly reasonable to imagine this would include murder in Maya Fey's direct defense."

"That's right!" thrills Mr Godot. "A clear dual motive! I think the evidence just now speaks for itself. 'I couldn't let you die, not for anything!' He'd kill to protect her! And who would NOT have a grudge against the ex-girlfriend?"

He treats us to yet another replay of part of _State vs Phoenix Wright 2013_ – Nick sobbing pathetically over 'Dollie's' betrayal, being told she was going to murder him. I can't help feeling a little sorry for Nick, having this most traumatic of skeletons from his closet shoved in his and the court's face repeatedly – on such a bad day too.

"He's had 5 years to stew over the betrayal. Then when he _does_ meet Ms Hawthorne again, she's in the act of stabbing Maya Fey, who he'll do anything to protect. He was clearly seized by anger and performed the murder, probably unaware Dahlia Hawthorne was channelled."

"Hmm, yes. Even I may be tempted into violence in such a situation." The Judge brandishes his gavel, reminiscent of Nick's artwork. "But murder is illegal in any circumstance, Mr Wright. Thank you for your belated confession."

"Ms Von Karma claims he's protected Maya Fey in questioning? Yet more to allude to his own guilt!"

Ms Von Karma's falling apart. She's bashing her desk futilely. "He's insane and lying! His testimony is clearly contradictory!"

The judge ignores her. "I've delayed my verdict long enough.."

"OBJECTION!" I just fold at trying to think of anything reasonable to say – it's all I can do to suppress being drowned in a useless stream of tears - so all that comes out is "Nick wouldn't stab my m-mother…"

"Ms Fey," Mr Godot is slow and almost compassionate. "Mr Wright didn't know it was your mother. It was dark, too, remember."

"What about the lights?"

"There were no lights. It's proven the lantern wasn't lit, and there were no lights in the area."

"But Mr Wright testified he saw lights! Red ones!" I'm sure this is some kind of contradiction. It's the only one we seem to have, but Nick would bluff with these to buy time…

Ms Von Karma appears to have regained some fight. "Exactly, Mr Godot! Explain this severe flaw!"

Godot seems unconcerned. "Mr Wright is probably lying. Anyway, how does the fact there were lights or not change the fact Mr Wright stabbed the victim. It's already established he hid behind the stone lantern and his black cloak. A poisoned mug in a lit room is still poison. A 'light' would just make his brutal stabbing of the victim easier!"

"OBJECTION!" Ms Von Karma is back to her arrogant self. "If you claim he's lying, is not the rest of his 'confession' an untrustworthy lie also?"

"Indeed. Both Ms Von Karma and Mr Godot raise important points. I fail to see how whether there were 'red lights' or not has any relevance to the actual murder. But this is also a discrepancy with Mr Wright's testimony. Did you see these 'red lights' Ms Fey?"

"I..I can't remember properly! Maybe I did!"

"Does the defense have any theory to account for Mr Wright's claim?"

"Of course." Godot seems untroubled. "It's just more evidence Mr Wright indeed committed the crime."

"Mr Wright was really at the murder scene, stabbing the victim, so he constructed a lying account of seeing the location from afar which makes no sense."

"While Mr Wright was attacking and brutally stabbing the victim, he probably saw flashes from the lightning which occurred during the night."

"A huge amount of blood was spilt during the tussle and murder, and Mr Wright was covered in it upon police discovery. Obviously, some blood dripped or sprayed in his eyes and line of sight. When illuminated, that would account for things seeming, well, 'red'."

"Indeed, that's a very reasonable and solid theory," muses the Judge appreciatively. "It well accounts for Mr Wright's 'confusion'. What about Maya Fey?"

"Ms Fey was in a poor physical state upon discovery, concussed, and testifies herself about losing consciousness. Vision disruption, including what might be interpreted as 'red flashes', are a common symptom of this."

"Very well, that does seem rather conclusive. In light of the overriding evidence of Phoenix Wright's confession, I declare…"

"OBJECTION!"

"Ms Von Karma! Stop interrupting!"

"But Maya Fey has not had an equivalent opportunity to make a confession, Mr Judge. It is only fair."

"Very well. Maya Fey will take the stand. Did you stab Elise Deauxnim, or this Hawthorne person you may have perceived her as?"

Nick's locked petrified eyes on mine. One word is emanating from them. _No_.

"I…I can't remember anything. There's just a blank. I don't remember stabbing her. I don't know what happened. I don't think M-Mr Wright did it. Maybe something else happened?" I look to Mr Godot, pleading, but his eyes are, as always, not there to read.

"That's not a confession, Ms Von Karma. It's quite plausible Maya Fey had indeed fallen into unconsciousness or petrification during the murder by Phoenix Wright. Mr Wright's confession is by far the most conclusive evidence we have in this case. I will accept no further interruptions."

" In light of the overriding evidence of Phoenix Wright's confession, I declare Ms Maya Fey _**Not Guilty**_ of the charge of murder, and Phoenix Wright guilty of the murder of Elise Deauxnim, pending retrial."

###


	8. Chapter 8

"Nooooo! Please Mr Godot! How about more testimony? A contradiction?"

"The trial is over, little kitten."

"The lights! Nick said he saw red lights! I know they're important somehow!"

"Ms Fey, you're very traumatised and confused. The Judge has given his verdict. Mr Wright is guilty – you heard him admit it himself."

"He said he saw them! Maybe they're related to the crime somehow.." Mr Godot looks at me like I'm stupid. "I think we both need a nice cup of coffee and a lie down. This was all too traumatic even for a feisty kitten like yourself."

I give my best tiger snarl. Already the nostalgia is flooding back, as fast as the police are now descending on Nick. If I sensed something like that, Nick would be happy, and bluff with it to buy time while he figured out the real crime…

They're handcuffing him to take him away.

I leap out of my chair. "NICK!!"

"DEFENDANT!" The bailiffs charge after me. Since I was just declared innocent, they're not as overbearing as before, but when I close in on Nick they drag me back.

"Nick! No… I know you didn't do it!"

"I-It wasn't about Mia, Maya. I promise."

"I know you didn't do it."

There's tears in his eyes. "Thank you."

They've exited out a side door. I can't stop crying now.

If only I'd thought of something to say which could helped Nick while I was on the stand, but everything in the trial happened so fast, it's confusing and overwhelming. And somehow I couldn't plead toward guilty while Nick's fear was boring into me.

Nick will get a retrial, but it will be considered part of this case, and nobody will take it seriously after the confession, a formality more than anything. Nobody ever rolled back Mr Gant's 'reforms' or the initial trial system, and the verdict's as good as decided. The Bar Association almost certainly revoked his license, so he'll get one of those deadbeat state attorneys, whose main aim will be to get him 15 years instead of execution. I'm certain Ms Von Karma will never lose to one of them.

I trudge back to Mr Godot. Those red lights are the only contradiction Nick's given me, so it's all I can cling to. He can't have figured out what it meant though, if anything. Or did he? He didn't push very hard. Maybe they just mean something which makes it look like I'm guilty.

And if Nick didn't do it – then who did? A kind of gut feeling tells me Nick is innocent – but also that he wasn't there yet when the murder happened. It doesn't make any sense – but it makes me wonder if I really passed unconscious before the stabbing or if…

Apparently it was all so horrible that my memory blanked any detail, but maybe it's just like Ms Von Karrma said. I knew she was about to kill me, and in some kind of last-ditch instinct stabbed her in the heart like on _Samurai Blood Moon III_. Because I know I was holding the knife just before the memory stops. Who knows what happens when you let reflexive instinct take over to protect you?

I'm probably guilty. I can't let Nick die! I have to tell them I'm still a suspect, force them to keep investigating the crime instead of considering it a closed case and maybe turn up something proving Nick's innocence. Besides, it's the only way I might be called to testify at his trial – I doubt Ms Von Karma wants me there otherwise.

I'll tell them right away – the Judge and a lot of the courtroom are still here. Since I was declared 'innocent' the guards aren't preventing my movement as I sidle to face the Judge's bench.

"Your Honour! I have to question your 'innocent' verdict!"

Mr Godot, relieved the trial was over, had zoned into another coffee marathon.

"Is this a confession, Ms Fey?"

"I still can't remember what happened. I don't know if I did it or not. The police should still consider me a suspect."

"What the HELL!" On a caffeinated charge Mr Godot has levitated to my side. "What are you DOING? Please ignore my client. I think she's still severely traumatised."

"But Nick's innocent! I know he didn't do it! Something else must have happened. Oh Mr Godot, I know you can prove it for me!"

"Ms Fey, my defense just successfully proved and confirmed you as totally innocent."

"But… but… I think maybe I did it! And there's no other way Ms Von Karma will let me testify again. I bet the lights are important. They're a contradiction!" (Nick himself raised it. And that's all I have to go on.)

"Ms Fey, you're ranting."

"They prove I'm guilty, don't they. Is that why you're covering? I know you're hiding stuff from me!"

Mr Godot hurls his coffee to the ground. "Shut up!" He mutters, but I hear him. "Why do you make yourself so damn difficult to save?"

The Judge is still watching us with intent intrigue.

"If it's my fault, I can't let Nick die in my place! If it isn't, then PROVE it! Defend Nick at the retrial so we can figure out what happened. I'll channel Mia as your assistant, just one more time. SHE'LL figure out who did it!"

"No. I'm not defending Wright." He pulls himself back into re-ambivilance "A broken mug will smash your lips!" I'm not fooled.

"But you used to be so desperate to see Mia! I guess you think I did it, right? Your Honour, I have to question your verdict.."

Godot grabs me like an inanimate object with one arm, still swigging coffee with the other with apparent nonchalance. I'm incensed at this disrespectful treatment. I limpen momentarily to catch him off-guard, then lash out wildly. Coffee mug to the face!

There seems to be an explosion and he drops me. I scream in terror as my visual sphere fills with flashes of red light and induces a nightmare flashback. Is this some kind of trauma fit? I can't seem to stop shaking. "Mia! Nick!" I can only sob brokenly.

"Oh dear. That was rather violent, Ms Fey," murmurs the Judge. "Maybe you _could_ stab.."

But I'm not longer in the courtroom, and I vaguely assume it must be the giant Judge from Nick's picture.

I don't know where I am any more. I think I'm back at the stone lantern, but I'm blinded by fear. I'm going to be killed!

"It's happening again! No! Nick! Where _are_ you?"

"Mr Godot, shouldn't you attend to your client? I've seen cases like this before. I believe they call it P.T.S.D.. Or was it P.D.S.T… hmmm."

"NICK!"

Nick can't save me. I'm responsible for his impending murder. And probably Mother's as well.

"MIAAAA!!!!!"

She's gone too.

"I can't do it anymore! Everyone died and it's all my fault! Mother, Nick, Ms Andrews… Sis died.."

"That's ENOUGH, Ms Fey. Well, old man, I have something to discuss with the police department concerning this case. Confidential, mind you."

I'm shaking so much, I can barely seem to move. My only instinct is that I want to hide. I force my limbs to drag and crawl into a space which seems dark and quiet, and close my eyes.

Eventually, I realise I'm waking up – thankfully, I've stopped shaking, and I seem to be under the defense bench. I open my eyes to see an intense line of security surrounding me. It seems I'm under arrest, again.

"Why? You can't just detain me without explanation!"

"Yes we can." And it's probably true.

As if the usual handcuffing wasn't bad enough, seems there's worse to come.

"The magistrate has ruled that due to your state of physical and psychological health, you can only make statements through your defense attorney, for your own protection."

"No! This violates my rights!" I complain, having no way to delay them strapping me onto the stretcher. Damn injuries, forcing me to be compliant!

"You're entitled to a re-assessment at any time, but there's typically a cooling-off period of 3 days for your own safety."

* * *

I don't even have the regular 'comforts' of the detention centre in my new cell.

I was scared they'd send me to a mental hospital, but this seems to be a regular criminal facility. Visitors are screened more closely though – not that anyone but Mr Godot and maybe Pearly would want to visit me. I don't want to see Mr Godot anyway. How dare he play the 'insanity defense' behind my back!

I demanded that 'reassessment' they mentioned immediately, and channelled Mia for a nice little chat with the psychiatrist just to make sure everything would go okay. Still, Mia seems a little worried. Possibly the insanity ruling is blocking whatever charges are pending on me [I bet they were Ms Von Karma's idea.] But there will be several days before the ruling runs out.

By then, Nick's case will be over.

I have to attend his trial somehow! Maybe then I can do.. something…

I write several demands to testify, and beliefs I may be guilty of the crime, it's unproven. Surely they will raise Ms Von Karma's attention, and she'll be motivated to call me as a witness.

They're all ignored. The guard seems to feel sorry for me, and eventually tells me I'm wasting my time. "Your defense attorney managed to have you declared mentally unstable. You're unfit to testify for your own protection."

* * *

I'm prowling my cell. Suddenly, the guards direct me to one of those visiting rooms. _Mr Godot!_

"Hey! Did you do it?" I point my finger in my best impression of Nick.

"Oh dear, I see you're still ill, Ms Fey."

"I demand to testify!"

"That's up to Ms Von Karma. Anyway, I followed your suggestion and offered to defend Mr T.. Wright."

"Oh! And what did he say? Is Nick okay?"

"The unfortunate man was very suspicious and refused! I thought a message of encouragement from you might sway his hand."

"Oh, would I channel Mia to solve the case in the trial?"

"Why no, that's not possible. It seems you've been detained indefinitely."

He seems unusually cheerful over this, and it's really getting to me. And I have to question his motive to defend Nick, especially without the carrot of Mia – he hates him.

"You think I did it, don't you!"

"Of course not!"

"You're hiding something from me. Really you know I did it, don't you. The lights probably prove it somehow."

"Why are you so obsessed with these imaginary lights? Lights don't stab people. It's irrelevant if there were lights of not."

"But they're a contradiction! I don't believe Nick did it, and he said he saw them."

"If it's revealed as important, the court will discuss it during the retrial. But we're in general agreement they're irrelevant." He smirks relaxedly. "A minute chasing steam wastes a week of coffee breaks!"

I know something must have lit up the Master's Talisman, because I saw it so clearly after Dahlia stabbed me the first time. But maybe it was lightning. Still, it doesn't explain what Nick said he saw from afar.

"B..but we don't know everything that happened. You… you mean you think I did it, after all? Is that why?"

"Of course you didn't do it, Maya."

"Tell me the truth! I can't live with Nick's murder on my soul! No! Either I did it – or I'll find the person who did! You were there that night. Wasn't there anyone else you saw?"

"No."

"I'm a murderer, aren't I."

"I promise you, you aren't."

"I don't believe Nick really is. So I don't believe you. Let me make a confession!"

"Are you insane! You won't save Wright, you'll BOTH be charged with murder! If Trite wants to die for you, have the respect to let him!"

"What… did you say? So you think he's innocent too?"

"N..no. Of course not."

"Then I'm sure not telling him to let you defend him!"

Mr Godot spits coffee. I actually trapped him. But he soon gathers himself together.

"Naturally, I'd be going for the angle he was killing to protect you in your defense, semi-justified, so he wouldn't get the death penalty. Nobody else would want to touch his case."

"Go tell that to Nick. But I'm not helping you send him to rot in jail, so don't tell him I sent you."

No matter what's since happened between us, and how much of our 'partnership' was a lie or misunderstanding, Nick really did seem to believe both those times that I wasn't a murderer. Does he believe I'm not now? Did he see me do it, and is protecting me, since he thinks I didn't do it on purpose? But I think it's more likely he just didn't see the murder at all, and is protecting me because he thinks I'm innocent anyway. So I'll still believe in him too.

"Fine, I'll go convince Mr Trite on my own. The state attorney will let him drop like a lemming!" Godot drops his mug to illustrate his point, and it smashes dramatically. He seizes another from his magic mug supply, turns his back on me, and I'm escorted out of the visitor's room cell.

* * *

I think they gave me a sedative, but I'm waking up now. I can't let that happen again, it makes it hard to channel.

Nick won't get a proper hearing – in those types of trials it's just a formality, the Judge has already made up his mind. Especially with such a spectacular confession. Von Karma's prosecuting again. She'll do anything to get a win, I guess, especially since she needs to make up for my 'not guilty' verdict. It's just a numbers game to her. I bet even if I'm proclaimed guilty at Nick's trial instead of Nick, it'll still be a 'stain' on her perfection record.

If Nick really did see red lights then…

maybe Mr Godot was there, and saw the murder? He was around that night, somewhere. It's a long shot, but those are the only 'red lights' I can think of.

But if Mr Godot saw Nick stab Dahlia, he'd just tell police, as a witness, and testify.

That means – either he didn't see the murder, but thinks it's Nick, or he did see it and it was.. me.

Or if he was there… he could have done it, I guess.

Where'd _that_ thought come from? I immediately feel guilty. I don't even have any kind of proof or remembrance Mr Godot was there, let alone at the time of the stabbing – and if he is trying to protect me because he thinks or knows I'm guilty, it would be the cheapest thing in the world to turn around and try to make the courts pin the crime on him. Yet another innocent person, dying in my place.

It's far more likely, if Mr Godot even was the 'red lights', he saw me stab the v..victim while I was semi-conscious, and is protecting me. I feel sick again. How am I ever supposed to know which one it is?

* * *

_Notes:_

_AGHH!! Why has f a n f i c t i o n . n e t started censoring out asterisks? Now my whole fic sections run into each other, have to fix ALL previous chapters, what a pain..._


	9. Chapter 9

[chapter 9]

* * *

_06 Feb 2019_

_[night of murder]_

**PEARL:**

Pearl was so excited to be fulfilling her Mother's instructions.

She couldn't understand every word exactly, but it seemed to be something which would help Mystic Maya. And Mother would be proud of her, again!

Pearl cringed in shame. Mother had guessed she wasn't training properly. She thought it would help Mystic Maya, so people would stop thinking she'd grow up better than her and should be Master instead, but then she'd overheard Mystic Maya discussing her with some other Mystics. It turned out Mystic Maya was only worried and upset. It was important to make it up to both of them now, with this important task!

Pearl tried and tried to locate the spirit in the picture, but she couldn't find it. Had the lack of training really made her powers too weak? She wandered the area, searching for somewhere with better spiritual radiation and less interference. This was a training centre – there were probably rooms like the Channelling Chamber somewhere. Over in that faraway complex Mystic Maya went to maybe?

How to even get there? Pearl was lost. She finally found a small alcove and altar obscured in the trees – run-down, but a few spirit attracting objects were build into its ancient carvings. She focused her powers with all her might but…

nothing.

Pearl began to cry. It was now snowing, and a freezing cold wind tore through her. The alcove wasn't large enough to protect even her from the elements.

She'd just have to accept she'd failed Mother and Mystic Maya, and try and find her way back to the main building.

But Pearl was totally disoriented in the dark and visibility-impairing sheets of snow. Even when it stopped, she had no idea where she was.

Suddenly, she smelled and then saw lingering trails of smoke. There was a little shack in the distance. Was that where Mrs Bikini said Mr Nick lived now?

Maybe Mr Nick would tell her how to get back. She was still mad at him, for betraying Mystic Maya and her love, but she could just threaten to channel Mystic Mia to yell at him if he tried anything funny. He wouldn't know she c..couldn't any more.

The door opened unusually easily. But there was no one inside.

She still saw the smoke, someone had burned something, but it was just a pile of soot now.

Pearl was tired out. There was a bed, so she curled up in it, grateful for the warmth on her freezing, snow-soaked body. She must have fallen asleep, because next thing she knew, a whole lot of police were rousing her.

Pearl knew she couldn't tell about her channelling failure. What if the police told Mother – she knew the police went to that jail she was in all the time. It was shameful enough as it was. And Mystic Maya –she would probably get upset! She'd already caused so much trouble and misery for Mystic Maya.

So she just told about how she'd got lost, and wandered around. That part was all true, and the police seemed to believe her.

They were suspicious about how she'd been found in Mr Nick's house, but that seemed to make them mad at Mr Nick, not her.

And they asked about the burnt objects, but they believed her that she knew nothing, so they got mad at Mr Nick for that as well.

Pearl was confused, but then the police told her to go. She was relieved nobody asked about the channelling –so maybe the police didn't know she'd failed. When the police went to visit Mother, they'd probably tell her that Pearl was a good girl, and the task went okay.

###

_10 Feb 2019_

_**PEARL:**_

Pearl was at a loss. The police had finally let her go – Mr Godot had said he would pick her up, but he didn't know how long he'd be. It was scary waiting so close outside that mean whip lady's office. The only other people she knew, Sister Iris and Sister Bikini, had already left for Hazakurain, so she was all alone.

From what the police and Mr Godot told her, Mystic Maya was in jail again, another one of those 'trials' where the mean whip lady yelled at Mystic Maya and tried to lock her in jail forever like her Mother. No doubt all this had happened because she'd failed in that channelling task to help Mystic Maya.

What had the letter said? Pearl really couldn't remember. She'd lost the letter, somehow, only remembered the part about how she was supposed to channel that person. Maybe it still wasn't too late?

Oh, she'd probably lost her powers, but Pearl focused harder than ever, pouring all her desperation over Mystic Maya's plight into her efforts. Contact! And…

###

When Pearl woke up, she was confused that she couldn't see. Then she realised it was something on her head – she pulled it off. One of those hoods, she thought she identified it as. She couldn't identify this strange room though, but after wandering into another room, and another, she began to think this might be the courthouse.

"Excuse me. Can you take me to Mr Godot?" she queried a guard. He was going to pick her up, before.

"Isn't Mr Godot in a trial?" The guard took her to another, and they both seemed confused over what to do with her – no phones in the courtroom, so they had to leave a message.

When Mr Godot eventually arrived, he seemed really, really pleased to see her.

Pearl hoped this was because Mystic Maya had been saved in the trial, but it still wasn't over, so she was disappointed when Mr Godot called the Mr Scruffy Detective to take her back to wait in his office. It was a very long wait.

###

* * *

_notes:_

_Why did Iris and Pearl 'Iris' Dahlia get to switch?_

_Von Karma let Sister Iris go. Later, after she'd investigated the case further, [and 'Iris' had presented herself] she decided it would be best to have her on-hand, and took her into police custody. Witnesses aren't given the same security as criminal suspects._

_Slightly short, boring chapter, but we don't want plotholes and whatever...  
_


	10. Chapter 10

[chapter 10]

**MAYA:**

I channel Mystic Mildred. She was a sweet old lady, but a bit crazy. I'm not sure what she'll do when she wakes up on police detention, but I guess we'll find out – sort of.

And when I come to, I find I'm definitely somewhere else. There's a nauseating smell wafting from somewhere labelled '_Dining Hall'_. There's some really old people sitting around in wheelchairs and cane chairs. There's a few younger people with obvious tragic and disturbing disabilities. A few are chained or discreetly handcuffed, but many seem free to roam - though I notice the windows are barred.

However they'd chained Mystic Mildred to her wheelchair can't have fit my different body dimensions very well, because I'm free. I climb out of the wheelchair as fast as possible.

"I've finished visiting Auntie. Can you show me out please?" I request to some kind of worker in the next room with my best smile. '_Trainee_' is stuck on a badge on her collar.

"Oh! Um… why are you wearing that?" She's suddenly suspicious. Am I one of THEM?

"Auntie likes to remember her time as a child in the olden days village," I explain. "She gets confused otherwise. I think she only remembers the past."

"Oh, how sweet. Okay, I'm opening now. Go out when the buzzer sounds - quickly, it'll lock again after a second."

I walk out, and down the path, trying to appear nonchalant. Even when I hear a commotion behind me.

"Where is Ms M. Fey?"

"Is she a g..girl about 20? Because…"

"No! She's about 70! Blackish hair, weird outfit, the one who assaulted Frank with a walking frame…"

I continue to walk relaxedly until I've finally exited the complex. By then they've already contacted police, put out an alert – but the description of the escapee is going to be a very old lady, so I've surely bought at least some time - Nick's retrial is tomorrow morning, anyway.

The description included 'weird outfit', so I roam a few carparks, searching for a clothing bin. Sure enough, I eventually find one, with superfluous 'donations' dumped around in garbage bags.

Just ditching my outfit seems dangerous – what if the police find it as a clue? And I have no way of burning it to get rid of it. Besides, it will be awkward to explain, if I'm recaptured or called to testify. And everything in here is ill-fitted and makes me look like a dirty hobo, which would also attract suspicion.

So I just salvage a long coat and a hat. The coat might have appeared respectable before it got those holes in it, and I think it will fit Mia a bit better than it does me.

###

None of Mr Gant's 'reforms' have been rolled back. They're still very strict about the '3 day rule'. Nick's retrial is really considered part of the same case, and those things are supposed to last a maximum of a day, except in extreme cases. Since he's confessed, and pled guilty to murder, this is a formality. It's a waste of department resources to make it drag longer.

Another trial has been scheduled in the same courtroom that afternoon – they figure this won't take more than the morning.

I've been channelling Mia since the previous evening, but I'm jerked back into myself, finding myself in a toilet cubicle for privacy, with Mia's status update in my hand. Mia has managed to contact Nick's state attorney, Hannah Fright, who was assigned last night. It's her first ever trial, so thankfully, she was open to Mia maybe showing up to give her some 'advice'. Apparently, she got really excited even at the suggestion Mia could help her get 15 years for Nick instead of execution, so things are pretty grim – or they would have been, if Nick didn't have Mia on his defense team.

I droop, zoned out, for several minutes. Channelling is actually very tiring and draining, even if my soul is absent, it's not exactly like a nice sleep – much the opposite. I'm not sure stretching my wounds was beneficial to their healing either; regardless, they're sure hurting and I don't get the scheduled medicine or painkillers since my jail break. I wish I had a better place to recuperate than a toilet, but a _courthouse_ is sure to be swarming with security cameras and police – they probably have them even in the main washbasin areas of the restrooms.

Did I really k..kill my mother? It's practically unbearable, and the only obvious answer. But somewhere, I realise, I'm clinging to a hope I somehow didn't, almost what's keeping me sane. Mr Godot promised I didn't, but I don't believe him. I don't trust him.

Then it gradually hits me. I guess it's... Nick. He seems to think I didn't do it. Somehow, I _want_ to trust him, even now. Nothing makes sense.

But my strongest instinct remaining in this confusional mess - way stronger than any vague hope _I_ might somehow be innocent - is that Nick didn't really do it.

Nick's not even allowed to be properly present at his own trial – von Karma doesn't want to risk him meddling in proceedings, I guess. He gets to watch from some remote box, behind security glass, guess they upgrade security after you've pled guilty to murder. Mia didn't get to talk to him.

Mia's still mad at Nick, but I'm sure she doesn't want an innocent person to die. I told her I'd never forgive myself, ever, if he died in mine or Mr Godot's place. Problem is, Mia probably would still choose to sacrifice him in place of myself or even Mr Godot. I told her I think maybe Mr Godot was near the crime scene and the other possibilities. I can only hope she'll uncover some new evidence or contradiction proving Nick's innocent. I don't know what else to do.

I know I have to re-amass the strength to channel Mia for the entire uninterrupted duration of the trial – losing connection, even temporarily, would be disastrous in the current circumstances. I will myself into one of those hardcore meditative trances we use when we've frozen under a waterfall for 12 hours and are about to collapse unconscious, and the pain slips away. Damn it, I then notice I'm hungry too – guess Mia forgot to eat, being a ghost and all – but there's certainly nothing to rectify that in here, so I focus deeper, and the hunger leaves too.

It's hard to get a precise appreciation, but I eventually get the sense some time has passed. I don't know the time, but I can't afford to delay any longer.

While scanning for Mia's spirit, I focus the rest of my brain on picturing her image in my mind.

It's essential to perform the visual transformation correctly, today especially. Sometimes spirits get called without executing the physical transformation properly or at all, and you'd never know, since you've already absented, or it can misfire, causing a grotesque half-transformation which will freak the general public out. These kind of accidents happen all the time to our mediums-in-training – of course, they're not deemed ready for prime-time. You have to set the transformation in motion at the simultaneous instant to drawing the ghost soul into your body and throwing your own out, along with a psyche-swap – it's a pretty complex task.

###

**MIA:**

Mia had little interest in bailing Phoenix out yet again. _Let that idiot fend for himself!_

But she still felt she owed Maya after the previous Diego misunderstanding.

And she at least owed Maya a better closure on the crime. Some things were still unsolved, even if Phoenix HAD done it. Maya didn't seem to believe in her innocence either, not regarding Phoenix's confession as any kind of believable proof. Mia didn't want to even begin to think what it would be like for Maya to suffer a lifetime suspecting maybe she'd accidentally killed their mother.

As well as Hannah Fright, Mia had rung Diego regarding the case, grasping for answers, information and another perspective.

She had to admire his dedication. Maya had caused a lot of problems for Diego – she'd made a guilt confession to the Judge, even after the innocent ruling, and with the case still officially unresolved, that was more than enough ammunition to overturn the verdict and retrial her as suspected murderer. Von Karma had pounced and put this in motion immediately.

Thankfully, Maya had then had some kind of panic attack, conveniently for the Judge and most of the court to view. It was then fairly easy for Diego to enact the fact she was psychologically unstable, and medically unfit to make statements not screened by her defense attorney, for her own protection. The protection should last 3 days, by then the retrial of Wright would have found HIM guilty, the case would be closed, and Von Karma's impending charges on Maya would not longer be relevant and her original 'innocent' verdict would stand.

Mia was slightly grateful she hadn't had the opportunity to face Phoenix in person; so far as she could discern, he'd somewhat regressed away from the productive ideals of his defense attorney career, back into a far more cynical and jaded version of the non-law defensive values she'd met at the original _State vs Phoenix Wright 2013_.

Although, as then, she could appreciate his good intentions of lying and obscuring the truth to protect Maya, in practice, it was as stupid then as it was now, even though protecting Maya was a cause she could fully support. Mia didn't quite have the ability to grasp Phoenix's [unknown to her] personal hell of no longer trusting the ability of utilizing truth or contradictions he himself or others sensed to achieve justice; it was a little alien to her so she really didn't respect what she could see of it.

###

* * *

**PHOENIX****:**

"Oh! G-good morning, Mr. Wright!" I attempt to disentangle a hand to meet hers' outstretched, but the chains don't permit it. Her fake smile slips. _Awkward_.

It takes all of a microsecond to discern my attorney's fresh off the bar. *_Perhaps I was lucky to 'only' suffer The Butz… no. Not going to think of that*_. I notice myself hanging my head, averting my gaze from the imminent jarring of injurious recollection. But it doesn't stab with the same anticipated fatality as usual.

I was so stupid, so naive and idealistic, so wrong all along. But it's all over now. I can't rectify the mistakes of my past, but I did, belatedly but maybe not quite too late, learn something from them. I can only hope – no, maybe 'hope' is the wrong word – that this works out.

Ms Fright eyes me tremulously. Oh yeah. I'm an admitted murderer, no wonder. Believing in my innocence would be silly, and I don't want it anyway. Still, I wish I could manage to make her feel more at ease. It's not like she's hit a very rewarding assignment.

Actually, she seems just as nervous of the police guards here crushing me. Those guys never leave. No confidentiality whatsoever.

Then again, perhaps I shouldn't make her feel too at ease. I don't want it to be overly disheartening when I'm found guilty. I guess she'll work on reducing my sentence. Life imprisonment, execution… it's all one to me, really. Admittedly, I didn't think too hard on the next step, but somehow living out my years in max security sounds worse than just ending it all. And what if Maya comes to visit me in jail? I'm more scared of that, really…

"Mr Wright, can I please ask…. Did you kill the victim? Or the, um, ghost?"

I inhale deeply. "It really doesn't matter any more."

A renegade part of me screams forth and tries to throw itself at her feet, still wanting to claim to her I didn't do it, beg her to find the 'real' 'truth'. But I can't thrust that kind of ridiculous implied responsibility on her, something I was way too incompetent to manage myself, even when I was supposedly 'experienced'. It was a .. bizarre act of randomness.. I managed to hit Mia in that trial long ago, and even Mia met with disaster in the sole case her client had pled guilty.

And how else can she get me free than pinning it on Maya again? *_I_* was the coward who ran away. I notice myself attempting to wipe off my sweat-soaked palms, to limited success.

…Okay, I admit it. I *_am_* petrified of dying.

But I think of Maya. That letter she wrote me in that irreconcilable case. The tears in her eyes when she realised her mother was dead. The way her body shook when they were going to hand down that farcical 'Guilty' verdict. I can't - won't - betray her a second time. The least I can do is be strong for her the way she was so unreciprocatedly strong for me!

"Oh. Uh… Are you conducting religious meditations, Mr Wright?"

I jolt.

"N..No, no, no, I'm…." I can't tell her about Maya!

"What's that you're holding? It seems.. important to you." Ms Fright leans closer, then squeaks in consternation. Oh yeah, I guess that green glow is mildly confronting.

"I need your clarification, Mr Wright. Did you really date this," she flicks her eyes to her notes, "Dahlia Hawthorne?"

"Yes." Avoid unnecessary lies, keep detailed info to a minimum, I figure.

"And you thought Dahlia Hawthorne was present and stabbed Maya Fey?"

"Yes."

"Even thought Dahlia Hawthorne is confirmed deceased."

"Yes."

"So you do know Dahlia Hawthorne is deceased – and knew it that night?"

"So I was told."

"Um, how do you explain her appearance then, Mr Wright?"

"Elise Deauxnim was channelling her ghost."

"Oh."

Now I know how it must feel when Maya tells the mundane world she's a spirit medium.

"So you were in a trance and saw a, um, religious vision of a ghost?"

"Not exactly."

Hannah's confused.

Yeah, she can't portray me as the poor, gentle monk when I've continually admitted murder, so she'll probably _have_ to take the angle I'm crazy and murdered at the mercy of my 'religious vision'.

She's trying to be tactful, but I know what her incredulous eyes are thinking.

Well, I admit I was still scared witless at what I had to emotionally relive and confront every time I saw the image of [?] Dahlia Hawthorne – and it extended well beyond that formerly-suppressed torture back in college. People probably *_do_* think I'm crazy, and I've ceased to care. From what they said in court, it seems like that Iris person might have indeed just been Dahlia's relative or something, but I can't find it in myself to care much about this revelation; other concerns are taking priority in my brain to point of its frequent obliteration.

*_I would have died for you_*. I flinch.

What will she ask next? It's hard to anticipate. I carefully re-rehearse in my head. It's essential to keep my recollection of events from becoming accidentally contradictory in a manner which could cast suspicion back on Maya.

*_Maya didn't think I really did it._*

A part of me flails out, grasping onto the fleeting glimpse of the solidarity we used to share. Her faith was misdirected. I know how that feels; I should have known better.

"Tell me more about your relationship to Dahlia Hawthorne."

I heave a shuddered sigh. "5 years ago, she pretended to fall in love with me, and gave me some evidence from a crime as a gift. When she murdered somebody I was arrested instead. I had no idea about her past or present criminal behaviour until they told me in the trial. I was delusional and stupid. I never saw her again after that."

"What makes you think Maya Fey isn't the same?"

Oh *_NO*_. I was caught off-guard, Ms Fright is more insightful than she looks.  
The familiar agony surges - and recombines with a searing urge to protect Maya at all costs. I diffuse reality into my best crazed monk expression, then set my eyes.

"Maya Fey did not frame me for murder."

I've gotten good at disguising the actual objects of my distress in mystery. I never told them anything about what tortured me at Hazakurain, of course. But the same tactics might backfire here; practically every secret I ever held was torn open for the courts the other day.

I'd tried to disassociate from that time. I really did forget the whole thing… until that Dahlia double appeared at Hazakurain. I was such a gullible idiot back then. Still am – look how Engarde played me for a fool!

Before I ruined everything, I'd almost forgotten about Dahlia; I think the new focuses in my life were more than enough compensation for the imaginary 'relationship' and even the trauma. But I threw all them away, and every time I saw that… 'Iris', it was like a dual trigger. I was thrust back through the abyss of time to my distraught and helpless younger self, my absolute loyalty unrequited and so utterly betrayed, exploited, USED. But it's worse than the original torture, because it reminds me of who I effectively treated in the same way. And just in case I'd forgotten any vestige of the distress I felt, the courts had to play the videos of it ad infinitum the other day.

"So…. This 'Dahlia Hawthorne' betrayed you?"

"Y…yes." I only just catch myself to avoid cringing, hideous memories still rise to the fore.

"Why wouldn't Maya Fey be the same?"

Maya's eyes float jarringly into my mind, all those times they conceded that dogged trust and misguided loyalty, so unadmittedly reminiscent of my delusional younger self and the still remaining vestiges of buried longing.

Even the *_suggestion_* Maya is like Dahlia Hawthorne! There's a pounding in my head and I notice every part of me has tensed; I want to leap out of my seat and scream in the way I can't with the security arrangements. Oh great, I think I'm going to go crazy… Actually, maybe that's not a bad thing.

"No. I betrayed Maya Fey… by killing her mother," I finish.

"I thought you said it was Dahlia Hawthorne?"

"It was. Dahlia Hawthorne's ghost was being channelled in Elise Deauxnim's body."

"Oh. I…see."

###


	11. Chapter 11

[chapter 11]

* * *

**MIA:**

There was almost nothing to work with. Of course, Hannah and Mia hadn't been able to investigate and uncover new evidence, so they could only work with what Ms Von Karma deigned to present, along with the witnesses she deigned to present. New witnesses weren't even considered necessary by the Judge; the confession had been enough. Officer Meekins was back again, this time with a 'reconstruction of events' which matched Phoenix's 'confession'. A soap operatic account of his 'dual motives' were presented by Ms Von Karma, with video evidence support.

Mia grasped for alternate theories. Did Dahlia, knowing she was Misty, suicide? But wouldn't she have injured Maya a bit better before – it was hardly a stab which would be fatal if treated, just disabling? Did Dahlia frame Maya for murder by killing 'herself'?

Why was her Mother channelling Dahlia in the first place?

And of course, there was no way of explaining all this 'spirit channelling' stuff to Hannah. She seemed to be under the impression it was like a religious cult, and Misty was in a delusional trance where she _thought_ she was 'Dahlia', maybe dressed up as her.

Understandably, Hannah had seemed reluctant to accept some strange lady she'd never met before to be her official aide in the courtroom – how was she supposed to explain who she _was_, exactly? "I used to be a defense attorney, but was forced to retire 3 years ago due to an injury," she'd told her, but there was nothing to prove it was true.

###

* * *

**PHOENIX****:**

I never wanted to set foot in a courtroom again. Almost superstitiously, I was convinced I couldn't handle it, I thought maybe I could run from having to fully remember my former self and what I did. Somehow forget. And if I _did_ return, it would emotionally destroy me.

Of course, I was forced to revisit the courtroom, most nights. Though I wasn't usually dragged in in chains. (*_Or_* locked in the max-security version defendant box, the way I am now.)

And then, when the worst-feared scenario actually happened, it was every bit as hideous as my worst nightmares. But for drastically differing reasons.

I'm pretty sure that 'mirror' wall there is one-sided. With the instinctive panic of predicted discomfort, I feel myself flicking my head away – no use! The place is a regular mirror-glass prison. I cringe in trepidation as I feel… a minor irritation at my reflection. *_My hair is all out of place!_* Must… redeem it to re-spiked perfection, as best I can with the handcuffs chafing me, anyway.

…Wait. The deja-vu is casting me back to a distant but recent past, but I'm pretty sure my usual panic of mirrors isn't spurred by fear of a bad hair day.

I peer back through the little part which isn't reflecting, window to the defendant's sorry fate in the courtroom. I blink rapidly. I'm sure I'm seeing someone….. I never expected to see.

Months of paranoid waking nightmares rehearsed and panicked this moment. My rational mind knew it would never happen – as if I'd see Mia again! –but I expected it with delirious trepidation all the same. But now I am – I'm sure! laying eyes on her, confronting her and every torturous memory connected. No, I don't want to face her. Oh she wouldn't understand a thing. But the imagined fear isn't there. I know, for once, I'm doing the right thing, the option left to me in the circumstance. I'm not delusional this time. And I'm fully aware of the consequences.

*_So they must have let Maya go free then_*. I notice my fists unclench and somehow the hard wooden bench seems immediately softer.

Did Maya ask her to defend me? Or is she here because of her mother and wants to see due vengeance? I don't hold out too much hope; things are too far gone even for a lawyer like Mia and it's not like Mia or Maya had the opportunity to pull some secret weapon info or evidence. I have my suspicions, but it could just be my personal biases talking, and there's no way I could use evidence or testimony to expose them. I doubt Mia could either. A lot of things criminals do are outside the control of the courts.

But Mia's not about to re-incriminate Maya to 'save' me, and this is reassuring.

Mia was wrong to think I could be a lawyer like her. A masterful few are smart, competent and talented enough to work the system. But she was wrong to think I was one of them.

I guess we both misjudged, we were too idealistic, thinking we could win by uncovering the 'truth' in a court.

The powers of injustice still caught up with Mia and killed her.  
The powers of total incompetence caught up with me; a victim of myself.

My own stupid incompetence. In the end I didn't save Maya either, I only saved Matt Engarde. I just betrayed her in every way possible. Oh, I _assumed_ DeKiller would let her go free, but that was up to him keeping his word, not my actions!

Where did I get the crazy idea I could fix anything by defending Engarde in court? 'Exposing the truth'. What a joke. Naively hoping things will turn out and the forces of truth can win over, especially by my own hand? I can't believe I was so stupid.  
I'll never forgive myself for throwing it away, for betraying her trust.

But I'm not blind and naive now. I've learned from my mistakes.

Thinking of Mia still inflicts painful internal avoidance, but for the first time since I last saw her, I've been feeling reassuring memories too.

"Phoenix, your greatest weapon in a court of law is your belief."

My only weapon.

I don't know _exactly_ who the real murderer was, and I don't really care! It wasn't Maya. "Contradictions' or 'evidence'? What's the point. The real killer probably has the court in their pocket. *_Maybe_* a genius like Mia could expose them that way. As if I could, even if I was a l..lawyer. But Mia wasn't totally wrong about me. I finger the magatama. My main error was directing it at the wrong people, including myself. "*_I'll never forgive you, ever_.*" No, I won't either. But I have no regrets on how things should go down today.

I guess I was lucky they elected to return the Magatama after the full-body search; it sure got me some weird looks. The Justice Department deemed it an essential personal 'religious object' and it would be classified unethical to force me to part with it.

My stomach still lurches in consternation at the prospect of facing Mia, but the outrageous panic is replaced by an oddly numbing calm. Oh, Mia won't understand at all, I know, but this time, for the first time, I'm totally secure I'm doing the right thing, have made the right decision.

Maybe I should ask? "Excuse me, Chief, but what's it like being dead?" …On second thoughts, that's probably tactless, in more ways than one. Particularly if she thinks she's supposed to be helping defend me.

###

* * *

**MIA:**

As predicted, Hannah made no leeway in helping Phoenix before the first recess –it was, after all, a virtual hopeless case. It seemed that Ms Von Karma had already pre-empted the 'problem' that Diego was patrolling the area and knew [or told Phoenix Wright] that Dahlia Hawthorne was on the loose, targeting Maya Fey.

She, of course, just used it as further ammunition to support that Wright had done it.

"I present into evidence: Retired Incident #633666825's final report, from the Justice Department."

**Testimony: RETIRED INCIDENT #633666825**

"In State Security Prison #6, a death row inmate, Dahlia Hawthone, was heard to rant to another inmate, Morgan Fey, how she was going to murder Maya Fey at Hazakurain in 2019."

"An incident was filed with police, and an investigation was conducted, which included Mr Godot on the investigation team, but there seemed to be no way for Ms Hawthorne to execute such a threat from her maximum security prison, so it was dismissed. Nonetheless, her execution priority was upgraded, and she was executed on 1 Jan 2019 to put an end to any murder plots she may have thought to have been planning."

"Since Dahlia Hawthorne was dead, the incident was considered closed."

"When Pearl Fey went missing, Mr Godot went to search for her. This situation caused him to recall _Retired Incident #633666825_. This site was a training venue for supposed 'spirit mediums'. Due to superstition or delusion, Dahlia Hawthorne – or someone believing they were 'channelling' Dahlia Hawthorne's ghost – might indeed resurface. Perhaps the planned assassination threat to Maya Fey should be taken seriously. If any of the spirit mediums present had heard of the planned incident, it might also 'occur' due to pure superstition and the power of suggestion."

"Mr Godot then heard screaming, and distant sounds. He thought it best to patrol the area, in his capacity with the Justice Department. Now superstitious, he feared the worst – this was a site with multiple people believing they were spirit mediums. And clearly someone was in trouble. He panicked, saw Mr Wright, and directed him to aid in his search."

"Mr Godot searched a different area to Mr Wright, not in direct proximity to the murder scene. By the time he arrived at the murder scene, the victim had been dead some time, and Wright was already there, having been present a while also, as Mr Godot didn't see him arrive, and there was only one entry to the dead end where the body lay. "

"Phoenix Wright's testimony to police confirms Mr Godot contacted police and paramedics less than a minute after his arrival on the scene, giving him a recorded time of arrival. Taking into account the condition of the deceased victim's corpse upon paramedic and police arrival, [adding the response turnaround] it does appear Mr Godot's phone call was at least 5 minutes after the victim's death. Phoenix Wright had arrived before Mr Godot. Therefore, Mr Godot only arrived quite some time after the victim was already dead."

Hannah could make little leeway in her cross-examination. She raised the possibility that maybe the recorded time of arrival wasn't the only time Mr Godot visited the scene, but without any evidence to support this theory, the Judge ignored it and she dropped it. Disheartened, she was more than eager to accept Mia's assistance following the recess.

But Diego knew that spirit channelling was real, so clearly he'd never consider the incident 'retired'. Mia knew there was no way to raise or prove _that_ contradiction in court though.

He'd probably planned in advance to search for signs of Dahlia? But things had clearly gone wrong – he hadn't prevented her from stabbing Maya. This could be viewed as a Department bungle on his part – dismissing a legitimate murder plot instead of bringing it back to proper police attention – and as an embarrassing failure to his ego. Either of these alone would be enough motive for that arrogant individual to try to cover his involvement and pre-existing knowledge.

They didn't necessarily indicate he was at or near the actual murder.

And if he'd planned to prevent the plot, failed, AND arrived just in time to see or suspect Maya was driven into murdering Dahlia –this would be an even more bruising failure on his part, and could also lead to his both covering his own knowledge and involvement, and defending Maya, feeling guilt he failed to prevent the murder incident.

It would probably be more productive to draw information out of Diego outside the official court mechanisms.

###

Well, if Diego was at the murder scene, she'd somehow have to goad him into admitting it. Maybe by making it seem framed in a positive light?

"Your Honour, I don't believe Mr Wright was even present during the actual murder at all. He is covering for Maya Fey. I must say how impressed I am at his dedication. Quite heroic really!"

"Defense Aide! This is no time for subjective comments!"

"Ms Von Karma," shouted Hannah. "Might the victim have suicided, by her insanity or in response to stabbing Maya Fey in her insanity? Perhaps she thought Maya Fey was dead!"

"We already checked that. Haven't you read the autopsy report! Amateur! Here is the relevant page! '_The cadaver did not show evidence of grasping an object during death, and death was effectively instantaneous_.' And see the report on the murder weapon. The prints from Maya Fey's right hand cover and deface the lingering prints from the victim!" Hannah rapidly deflated.

###

Diego wasn't defending or prosecuting, and had seemed reluctant to arrange a meeting over the phone, but as Mia predicted, he'd shown to the trial, and he could hardly resist her confronting him during the next recess. He was trapped anyway. She knew the courthouse well.

She may no longer be an actual defense attorney, but Mia steeled her mind into her defense attorney mindset. And the factual reality was that there was a significant possibility Diego had been at the crime scene, had acted suspiciously, and was almost certainly concealing information from the courts and everyone else.

Mia didn't necessarily like using dirty tricks to get a confession, but this was a special case.

"Maya says she saw you at the murder scene!"

It wasn't strictly true, of course, Maya had written about how Phoenix had testified about red lights he'd seen from afar, and how she thought maybe she'd seen them too, and how there were red lights on his mask. Diego had been searching the area that night, so…

"I only got there after Wright."

"But Maya knows Wright wasn't there yet when the murder happened. And she says she now remembers you _were_ there before him – before or during the murder."

"Then she must be mistaken. I only arrived on the scene just after Wright was there –and the murder had just occurred. I was too late to intervene, perhaps she thought she heard or saw me coming from a distance?"

"Then why didn't you testify as a witness about Wright? It could have cleared Maya's charge immediately. As it is things are a mess, and Maya is still afraid she did it. So I know you're lying."

"Oh… kitten. You want the truth?"

"Yes?"

"Maya stabbed the victim while she was semi-conscious. A reflex reaction, she probably didn't know what she was doing. I couldn't bear to have her feel the torture of guilt or face death for her 'crime' so I have been covering for her. You understand, don't you?"

Mia was taken aback. It could be true. Perhaps Maya's reflexes really could re-enact a stabbing from a samurai movie? But then again, she'd gotten a mistaken impression from Diego last time. And, admittedly, she didn't want to believe it was true.

"I heard the commotion of the attack, but I was just too late – when I arrived on the scene close enough to see she was already stabbing Dahlia. But Wright arrived from the other direction"

"Oh. Then Phoenix must have seen the murder too! That's why he's even willing to pretend to confess his guilt and die for her. I must say I'm impressed. It certainly makes up for that unfortunate Engarde trial."

"Kitten! But that.."

"I thought he was a coward, but he's actually a hero! Somehow, we'll have to ensure his sacrifice is never forgotten! Dying for my sister… I think I'll go and tell Phoenix _right now_ how much I appreciate it! …But the main problem is Maya keeps demanding he wasn't there at he time of the murder, and you were, so she still thinks she's guilty anyway. Any idea how we can fix this up?"

The recess was ending; Mia only hoped Diego's ego bruising wouldn't misfire and make things worse. She had to return to Hannah now anyway, with their latest tactic.

Of course, Mia didn't want to believe or even consider the possibility Diego was the true killer, but she forced herself to keep firmly in the professional mindset. The truth would come out. If he was innocent of the murder, it would become obvious. She also kept in the professional mindset to allay her significant emotional fears over Maya. She had to. Nobody could be helped if she fell apart.

###

Hannah Fright was excited to have an actual game plan, even though it seemed likely to fall apart and had scant evidence. But her client was pretty much a dead man walking anyway, so there was nothing left to lose really. Did she sound imposing as she shouted? That was a new feeling.

"One person was actively searching the area for 'Dahlia Hawthorne', the alleged channelling incarnation of the victim , just before the murder, who had NOT been properly accounted for! The defense alleges Mr Godot was present at the crime scene. Furthermore, at the moment of the murder! Mr Godot was confirmed to be present and searching in the general area. The red lights Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey testifying to seeing were Mr Godot's vision device!"

Mia knew they were taking a risk here. If Diego was called as a witness to the crime, he'd probably simply testify that he saw Phoenix do it. Along with the confession, the Judge would probably just hand down a verdict immediately, without a cross examination. If Hannah demanded one, and raised why he'd not testified this initially to clear Maya's name, he'd think of some bluff like not wanting to be a suspect to the crime, or afraid he wouldn't be allowed to defend Maya then due to conflict of interest, or some other thing which would be suspicious, but not the type of conclusive proof they needed that he was lying – and the suspicion would then all be cast back on Maya anyway.

With her prints on the murder weapon being the sole concrete evidence in this case, and the case having dragged to the 3 day mark, the Judge could still hand down a guilty verdict on her, or _both_ could be charged with murder or as accomplices to murder.

_**GODOT Testimony:**_

"I searched around the area that night. Perhaps Phoenix Wright earlier saw my mask in the distance. I did pass by quite close to the lantern, but I wasn't close enough to see the murder. It took place in a dark dead end, remember, and I was at the entrance. With no other light, the mask's glow would travel."

Mia knew Diego was probably lying, and she told Hannah so. But neither could spot any real contradiction to prove it – not one supported by the evidence supplied by Von Karma. Hannah was no match for Diego in the 'pressing' department either. Mia could sense she was getting intimidated. Most of the state attorneys assigned to hopeless cases like this one were work experience students, and she suspected Hannah was one of them.

"D..didn't you *_hear_* the murder?"

"I heard sounds, but I couldn't tell exactly where they were coming from. There was a strong wind, and lightning. I looked down the dead end, but I couldn't see all the way to the end, and I moved on to check adjacent areas. I heard a scream, but I didn't know exactly where it came from. My senses aren't so good since my coma – that's why I wear this vision device, obviously."

"Badgering the disabled! Shame!" yelled someone in the audience – probably brought in to be Von Karma's cheer squad? Mia sighed as Hannah then dropped this line of questioning.

At least Diego hadn't testified he'd seen Phoenix commit the murder. He himself must have realised how suspicious that would seem, not raising it earlier to get Maya free.

Did Phoenix do it? If he did, Diego didn't witness the murder itself.

If Maya did it, Diego may or may not have witnessed it.

Mia's professional mind conceded she was just as suspicious Diego did it, but she and Hannah had no opportunity to raise any proper evidence confirming he was there, let alone tying him to the actual murder. And no matter what Maya insisted, nothing marked Phoenix as innocent of the crime. Going on his past insane quirks, Mia was wiling to accept the theory he was covering for Maya, though. Did he see her do it, or was he protecting her by default? Mia sighed, she'd possibly never know.

She still hadn't got to talk to her 'client'. Maybe it was for the best; he'd just sort of shut down in that terrible Engarde farce, right when they had that evidence he could maybe have turned things around with.

Mia wanted to believe in her sister. All she could do is hope that if she was truly innocent, she'd provoked in Diego the decency [?] to confess.

"Why were you not more forthcoming in explaining your presence before or during Maya Fey's trial, Mr Godot? It's a little suspicious," queried the Judge.

"I admit, I did wrong. But I made no secret of my presence to police following the incident. Furthermore, I did not see anything of momentous enough significance to testify over, as the police and Ms Von Karma correctly discerned. I could sense it was a departmental and personal professional failure that the incident was considered 'retired' instead of seen as the genuine threat it still was, and that this fatal related tragedy still occurred. "

"I see. Well your personal professional guilt does appear to explain matters – and your decision to defend Maya Fey. It's for your superiors at the Justice Department to decide if there's any professional censure over this unfortunate oversight. "

"But, " continued the Judge, "whether and how there was departmental failure in dismissing the potential threat last year has no bearing on the actual scene and moment of the murder!"

Mia had scanned the text of _Retired Incident_ _#633666825_ 's report, but there was nothing to shed much useful light on the murder – or that could really be used now. Only very general details were contained [or reported, at least] in Dahlia's prison conversation – that she planned to murder Maya Fey in Hazakurain in 2019, pretending to be her identical twin Sister Iris, who would then instead be blamed and charged. This just matched up with what had already been uncovered – Iris was proven to be locked in the cavern, and probably was not a genuine willing accomplice to a plan originally meant to frame her for murder. A search of Kurain was conducted, with and under Mr Godot's direction, but found nothing.

Still, some other things were contradictory.

"In the previous trial," challenged Mia, "Maya Fey testified she was chased down a 'dead end'. How could Phoenix Wright have got past the battle to hide behind the lantern unobserved?"

"An excellent point," agreed the Judge. "Ms Von Karma?"

"Simple. Apart from it being pitch dark and Phoenix Wright himself testifying he used his black cloak to conceal himself whilst Dahlia Hawthorne's eyes were on Maya Fey, there is a second method, which I will now demonstrate to the court!"

"The 'dead end' Maya Fey was chased down had a discrete but tall locked gate, requiring a key. Naturally, a body search of Phoenix Wright upon arrest found a copy of this very key on his personage. With his – and only his – prints all over it!"

[Some of the crowd gasp in unison as Von Karma enters Phoenix Wright's Key into evidence.]

"OBJECTION! Phoenix Wright lived at Hazakurain," countered Hannah. "He likely had a copy of the key legitimately – wasn't he some kind of assistant monk? Maybe it opened other doors on the site in addition?"

"How he obtained the key is irrelevant! His possession of it at the time proves he could have seen the pursuit, and gone around the back way, from behind the lantern, knowing he'd meet them in the opposite direction. He unlocked the gate, then hid behind the lantern. Perhaps he even initially intended to lead Maya Fey to safety? But by the time he arrived, the situation was worse, Maya Fey had been stabbed and fallen down, incapable of further movement."

"The victim was armed, and with Maya Fey semi- or unconscious and the knife on the ground, he likely reasoned it would only be a matter of time before the victim likely picked up the knife and stabbed Maya Fey again. So Phoenix Wright seized the knife, and was inspired to commit murder. The end."

"Then why would he lock the gate again? Or was it unlocked on police arrival?"

"The gate is a security gate. It locks automatically upon closure. Naturally visitors – such as Maya Fey and Mr Godot –would not be given access to such a key."

"How come Mr Wright didn't testify about a 'gate' in his confession?"

"Because, Hannah Fright, he merely explained he ran to where he heard the screaming and noises coming from. He knew the site. If the back route was faster and more direct, of course he'd take it without thought! It's as if you encountered a killer in your own back yard. Naturally you'd run away through your own back door, not thinking to explain why you didn't instead run the long way to the front!"

"A very soild argument, Ms Von Karma."

"Thank you, Mr Judge." Von Karma curtseyed like a puppet.

Suddenly, one of Ms Von Karma's subordinates rushed, panting, to the scene.

"What's that?"

"Oh. The defense will be pleased to note the embargo imposed on Maya Fey has just been overturned."

"_What_?" gasped Mia and Diego.

"Yes! That foolish lie Maya Fey was too psychologically disturbed to be charged based on her confessions was ruled now irrelevant and overturned!"

"And I have a very explicit written confession from her here! Why, where exactly is Maya Fey!" She smirked knowingly at Mia. "I believe I will prepare a summons for her re-arrest immediately."

"No! She's only doing it to protect Phoenix Wright!"

"SILENCE!" The Judge pounded his gavel, in jarring discordance with the pounding headache now descending on Mia Fey.

"I see," reaffirmed the Judge, studying an official document. "Ms Fey's repeated claims she may be guilty of the murder – even after winning an innocent verdict – should not longer be viewed as someone psychologically disturbed or fragile!"

"The defense wishes to view Maya Fey's confessional correspondence!" Perhaps there would be something – anything – they could work with here?

"No," smirked Von Karma, wagging her finger tauntingly. "these are classified Police Department materials. You can only view the example I enter as official evidence for the trial."

Which, of course, turned out only to be statements she didn't remember, and her innocence should still be considered debatable.

Diego seemed genuinely upset. Mia could only believe he really had wanted to protect Maya from the charges.

"The current defendant and previous defendant, Maya Fey, have both confessed to the murder. In light of Maya Fey's prints on the weapon being decisive evidence, I revert to my original charge of Maya Fey as guilty of murder, and Phoenix Wright as her deliberate and direct accomplice to murder, furthermore, actively obstructing justice by covering her crime from the courts!"


	12. Chapter 12

[chapter 12]

* * *

**MIA:**

"Nooooooo!" _I'm too old for this. I'm dead. I think I'm past it._

There didn't seem to be any decisive proof that anyone other than Maya did it. It's not like they'd had an opportunity to go and collect new evidence themselves – they could only rely on what von Karma deigned to present to them, and the witnesses she allowed.

Sure, Diego had admitted he was there watching from nearby part of the time, but there's no evidence or testimony to tie him to the actual murder, and both of those poor suicidal idiots had given 'confessions'. Worst of all, Maya could well be guilty, and Mia sorely did not want to be the one who just uncovered more evidence to prove to her she did it. Perhaps if her defense attorney had her plead guilty to accidental manslaughter or justified self defense she would be charged with this downgraded offense….

Hannah looked to Mia in confusion. "What, isn't this a positive development? Someone else confessed! Our client's offense was downgraded!"

"Maya!"

"Well," continued von Karma, smirking at Mia pointedly, "the prosecution is just waiting on Maya Fey's arrival. I believe you have already decided your verdict, Your Honour?"

"The defense demands to cross-examine Sister Iris of Hazakurain!"

"Ms von Karma?"

"I believe that won't be necessary, Your Honour. Both suspects have confessed. Why would we need further superfluous testimony?"

"Very well, you make an excellent point. The Defense's request is denied."

"About how long will it take for Ms Fey to be summonsed, Ms von Karma?"

"That I can't say, I'm afraid, Your Honour. I believe certain other people in the courtroom may have a better idea. "

"Well, this entire saga has run over schedule as it is. Technically, Ms Fey's presence is not required to hand down my verdict, we already discussed her case for some days. I'll call a recess, and if Ms Fey is not present after it, I'll hand down my verdict anyway. Any objections, Ms von Karma?"

"Of course not, Your Honour."

Mia decided to stall for time. "Would you please share your full reasoning behind the verdict, Your Honour?" Half the courtroom staff and some of the audience groaned. It's a right, though a rarely exercised one. The Judge wasn't expecting it either, and he began to scribble notes. At least it was forcing him to consider his verdict carefully.

"Mr Godot may have been present at the crime scene, but there is no evidence of when he got there."

"If he had witnessed Phoenix Wright stab the victim, he would have testified this as evidence. So if Phoenix Wright is the murderer, Mr Godot did not witness the stabbing."

["How can we prove Mr Godot witnessed the stabbing?" Hannah hissed desperately to Mia. Mia was at a loss.]

"If he witnessed Maya Fey stab the victim, he may not be testifying because she is his client. Did Maya Fey bribe her attorney to stay silent? Or, alternately, he may have not seen Maya Fey perform the murder. So if Maya Fey is the murderer, Mr Godot may or may not have witnessed the moment."

**MR GODOT:**

"There is no evidence tying him to the crime."

"The only evidence he may have been present at the crime scene is vague indirect testimony by the two murder suspects"

"Even this does not establish he was present at the time of murder, if he was there part of the time."

**MS MAYA FEY:**

"Maya Fey's prints are on the confirmed murder weapon, concrete evidence that she handled it before the murder"

"It is clearly proven she was present during the moment of murder."

"Her direct motive and opportunity to commit murder in self defense are clear and 'reasonable'."

"She herself continues to imply her guilt, even after an 'innocent' verdict. Perhaps this alludes Ms Fey does have the decency to have some level of remorse for her crime."

**MR PHOENIX WRIGHT:**

"Phoenix Wright's confession clearly pointed to him being the murderer, but in light of Maya Fey's own subsequent confessions and the possible motive of protecting Ms Fey, there is greater evidence pointing to Ms Fey being responsible for the crime. The possibility that Mr Godot – then called as her defense attorney –may have been present – just casts further suspicion on Ms Fey, rather than Mr Wright."

"However, especially given his confessions and plausible motives, I'm far from certain of Phoenix Wright's innocence, and he seems to be intimately intertwined with this unfortunate saga. Since there's no proof that he, rather than Maya Fey, actually stabbed the victim, I'm ready to go with a variation of your original charges as my verdict, Ms Von Karma. Deliberate and direct accomplice to murder for Phoenix Wright, and murder for Maya Fey."

Mia desperately flailed for what to do. If Maya had pled guilty to manslaughter, perhaps it could have been downgraded to that charge – or maybe justified self defense? There'd be a strong case Maya was acting semi-instinctively. Should they try going for this now? But that would require the attorneys –and Maya – accepting Maya's guilt for the fatality, particularly at this late stage. _*How can I tell Maya that I think she might have killed our mother?*_

Now what? She grasped and panned every recess of her memory, trying to decide what instructions to leave Maya with – there must be some way to force a delay of her verdict on a technicality! Everything she could think of would just require her to send Phoenix straight to the gallows. Maya wouldn't do that. If Mia continued to be channeled after the verdict, she reasoned Ms Von Karma would just arrest her anyway… she knew where Maya was 'hiding', and didn't really need to explain to subordinates to force them to follow orders.

But Godot caught her eye, and winked dramatically – as much as someone wearing a mask can elicit a super-obvious wink gesture.

"HOLD IT!"

"Mr Godot! I am giving my verdict. This had better be significant."

"I withheld information from the courts and police!"

"You mean your have committed perjury?"

"That's right!"

"And you now want to take the stand? Very well. If this doesn't uncover something resolute, I will hand down my verdict regardless."

Diego gave a long and dramatic account of his efforts to 'heroically' protect Maya Fey from the danger of Dahlia Hawthorne, culminating in his precise and clinical stabbing of Dahlia Hawthorne, in Maya Fey's direct defense. Of course there were no prints, he was wearing gloves. He hid behind the lantern and saw his chance when Maya Fey had passed out and dropped the knife. He didn't get time to then edit the scene to remove evidence linking the murder to Maya, because Phoenix Wright was running towards them, so he left.

Mia pretended to be grateful and impressed by Diego's courtroom 'rescue' of Maya. It was best to stroke his ego rather than make him think he'd lost face – she hardly wanted him retracting his confession. Besides, she _was_ grateful Maya's life had been spared. And there was the vague possibility lingering in her mind Maya really had done it by accident. You just couldn't predict what insane lengths Diego might go to to one-up Phoenix Wright.

###

* * *

_**GODOT P.O.V.**_

_Godot's plan to curtail Dahlia fell through after Iris failed to meet him at the arranged checkpoint. He delayed slightly, waiting for her. Knowing who she was, Godot had not trusted Iris enough to share specifics over the exact 'murderer' and plot. He merely told Iris that a murderer was planning an assassination attempt on Maya Fey tonight. He feared Iris' loyalty to her sister might make her fail to co-operate with him if she knew the 'murderer's identity._

_Unknown to Godot, this backfired as Iris was then even more easily deluded by Dahlia – she still had more loyalty and trust toward her sister than the mysterious Godot [who she'd only just met] any day. Perhaps Godot was mistaken, and Pearl was the one being targeted – or perhaps Godot was part of the murder attempt on Pearl Fey? Of course it crossed her mind that Dahlia was the 'murderer' Godot was pursuing, but decided to help her sister over Godot, maybe he was mistaken._

_Godot hadn't planned on committing murder, but he was willing to use Iris as collateral in some sense. Her non-arrival delayed him and derailed many potential plans._

_He thought Maya was safely locked in the cavern, so there'd be time to capture Dahlia._

_Misty and Godot had scoped the area previously, too. Once he realised Dahlia was on the loose, pursuing Maya, and seeing her general direction, he figured either he could trap Dahlia at this dead end, or Dahlia would chase Maya to this dead end. He hid behind the lantern, waiting._

_Godot didn't have his own weapon – plans had been made, but they'd all fallen through, which he blamed on 'Trite'._

_He couldn't bring one with him to Hazakurain with Pearl and Maya travelling with him. Maya was very suspicious of him, and he couldn't count on her or Pearl not to 'inspect' his luggage through curiosity. Godot can't drive with his vision impairment, and he didn't want to provoke Maya's suspicions by going in a chaffered police vehicle._

_Besides, he'd already promised to Misty not to involve the Justice Department in an official capacity, so Misty could continue to conceal her identity – she'd refuse to deal with or meet him otherwise. So Godot, Maya and Pearl took the train, with its associated metal detectors – no weapons allowed._

_So he was supposed to collect the weapons from Misty, or where Misty left them for him, but the entire evening he knew he was being trailed by Phoenix Wright. If Trite saw him collecting pre-arranged caches of weapons, or, say, a meat knife from the kitchen, no doubt Trite would either call police, or take things into his own dubious hands, or take some weapons for his own unsavoury ends – maybe even try to kill Godot? Godot's overinflated imagination of the demonised Trite ran rampant with embellishment._

_Godot and Misty hadn't counted on Phoenix Wright hanging around observing them at all, and he prevented them making all the final arrangements the way they had planned. In fact, it led to divisiveness – Misty wondered if they should let Phoenix in on the plan in some limited capacity, Godot totally refusing._

_All Godot's plans had fallen through, and he mentally blamed Trite for most of this. He'd hoped to have Maya unscathed, but his vision and body aren't so strong, and he's not sure how to overpower Dahlia when he has no weapon and she is armed with a knife. Before he's figured out the best way to spring on Dahlia, Maya's already been stabbed twice._

_Godot is incensed, his heroism plan has already all gone wrong. Suddenly he hears the knife drop to the ground – sees it as he lights it up in his mask. Although he didn't see it, Maya pulling the knife out of herself did indeed have the opposite of desired effect – now there's nothing to stem the flow of blood. The shock to her body causes her to pass unconscious after a moment, as she does so her fingers limply drop the knife._

_While Godot's vision impaired generally, his mask gives him better-than-average night vision. Dahlia is focused on Maya and her 'vengeance' on Mia, [Dahlia's even taunting Mia Fey herself under her breath at this moment] and the area is very dark, the storm clouds block the moon and no lights are on._

_Godot can quickly grab the knife – Dahlia's complacent since Maya is now unconscious. He's wearing gloves - nobody would be suspicious, because it was cold._

_Before Dahlia knows what's happening, he springs from behind the lantern and stabs her through the heart. As Dahlia falls, her body morphs back into Misty, dead._

_Godot saw only the woman who ruined his life. Now suddenly he hears and sees Dahlia Hawthorne's lover, and the man who ruined the rest of his life, and his plans tonight, Trite. There's not enough time to rearrange the scene or anything – Godot runs away, thorough the back gate's passage at the back of the lantern, the opposite direction from Trite. Of course he too had a key – he requested it, and received it, from Iris._

_He throws the key and his bloodstained outer jacket in the river where it will never be found, quickly cleans himself with snow, crashes and rolls around in the bushes to collect dirt, sticks and leaves to obscure any blood he may have missed [he was 'looking in the woods, obviously'] and runs around the long way to 'find' Trite at the scene._

_He mentally assigns blame to Trite for most of tonight's problems, Maya's stabbing, and Misty's death, so he himself won't have to feel crippling guilt or responsibility._

_Then Maya's prints are found on the murder weapon – his worst nightmare is coming true – he failed to save Maya, instead MAYA will be tried and possibly executed for Misty's murder._

_And when Maya wakes up, far from seeing him as her hero for saving her like he originally fantasised, Maya is whimpering about Trite, and seems to think HE somehow saved her. Even after Godot would even commit murder to save Maya! It's not fair, and it's ALL TRITE'S FAULT. Even Maya's framing for the murder is Trite's fault. If Trite hadn't turned up, he could have removed Maya's prints, and maybe even thrown Misty in the river._

_Since he genuinely assigns blame to Trite, rather than himself, as really responsible for Misty's death and the whole fiasco, he can lie convincingly to police and the court._ _Godot sensed correctly that Phoenix had lost faith in both his own ability and the court in general's to perform a 'miracle' turnabout to uncover the true crime, so he was not as nervous as he could have been that Trite would somehow uncover his guilt in court, and felt no real threat from pinning the crime on him. He guessed correctly that Trite would avoid raising anything which might shift greater blame onto Maya to save himself – his hands were effectively tied._

_** DAHLIA P.O.V.:**_

_Dahlia is channelled. She assumes it's Pearl who channelled her as planned. Misty has left a 'letter from Pearl' in her hand, to continue the illusion._

_Dahlia recalls her scoping visit a month previously. She's already wearing a nun robe. She goes to the supply room and puts on a Demon-Warding Hood like Iris' to cover her hair – she senses it will be beneficial to roleplay 'Iris' tonight._

_Her initial plan is to just unlock the cavern as Iris, and go in and stab Maya while she's in her meditative trance. It will be simple – Maya will be oblivious, and will have her eyes closed and senses shifted in training. She'll probably be dead before she even comes to full awareness._

_But when she gets there, she can't open the lock. Iris taught her that visiting night's configuration – but there are a lot of them, rotated randomly. She'll have to trick Iris into opening it for her, somehow._

_So Dahlia pretends she's looking for Pearl, who's in danger. Dahlia is secure in the 'knowledge' Pearl is channelling her, thus the missing Pearl will never be found. She's totally unaware it's actually Misty channelling her and her deception is, in effect, true._

_Dahlia wants to kill Maya Fey for her own ends, not Morgan's – she hates their mother. She doesn't want Iris to have to see her stab Maya – why should she ruin her useful friendship with her sister for her mother's own selfish ends? If she's alone, without Iris watching, she can fully enjoy and revel in her vengeance on Mia Fey and be as nasty as she likes, uninhibited._

_Dahlia hated Morgan, and she'd enjoyed her visit with Iris a month previously, triggering her desire to stab Maya without Iris watching. She was still mad over the Feenie fiasco, but Iris clearly hadn't made a move on Feenie, even though he was living right here on the mountain, so the rift wasn't as divisive any more. Why should she risk her relationship with her sister for the sake of their bitch of a mother? Besides, dumb Iris had helpfully let her scope out the entire area on her visit. Dahlia had memorised all the geography and dead ends. Maya had never been here before, so even if there was a chase, she could easily lead her down a dead end to stab her._

_By the time Dahlia was channelled it was already late – Pearl must have been delayed. At first, Dahlia thought she'd stab Maya in the cavern, but Iris would know and fall out with her or raise an alarm, so she decided to just lock her out of the way._

_Dahlia could RE-lock the cavern with the trick lock Iris had shown her a month ago. It couldn't be opened from the inside, and she knew people other than Iris and Bikini [Phoenix, Maya, Godot etc.] did not know how to unlock it._

_Then it was fairly easy to track Maya down again, pose as 'Iris' long enough to shepherd her movements walking beside her, and chase her down a dead end._

_In Morgan and Dahlia's original plan, Pearl was to do the Special Course with Maya, and channel Dahlia during it, to make an easy kill whilst Maya was in her trance. There were problems with this plot, and it backfired entirely when Maya elected to do the Ultra Course – Pearl would never be allowed to do that. In the variation, Dahlia was to seize the opportunity to kill Maya before, during or after the training._

* * *

**NOTES: **_NOT anywhere near the end of the fic!_


	13. Chapter 13

[chapter 13]

* * *

**MAYA:**

Nick and I are returned to the courtroom that afternoon for our final verdict. Innocent of murder, multiple counts of perjury and contempt of court. Mostly these will be punished by a huge fine. I think the judge is feeling a little sorry for us. Also, the fiasco's attracted quite a lot of attention and the tabloids are already claiming we're 'star-crossed lovers' derailed by the 'evil Toaster Face'.

Jarring as it is, accepting Mr Godot did it was not as extreme a revelation as it might otherwise have been, I guess since the alternatives were just that hideous. I feel myself immediately numbed into sick acceptance, the way I had to after Aunt Morgan was found guilty. I still have a vague fear I'm really responsible, but it's a niggling disquiet instead of an all-consuming devastation.

The trial is over. I'm not free to go, due to the perjury charges [and someone probably noticed the jail break], but the security is less restraining.

Nick's not going to just disappear is he?

I can't just let him leave again. Not after that.

"NICK!"

The security people still escorting me cringe.

"Please! I have to see him!" They relent, I was just declared 'Not Guilty' of murder after all. They follow at a distance, like they're kind enough to give me privacy.

"Please wait," I beg.

Nick turns.

"M..Maya. Um… I'm sorry."

"I… I forgive you." I'm not mad any more. How can I be? He didn't ever betray my trust, not really. Maybe he got it wrong and thought I trusted him to save me no matter what?

"…on the condition what you said the other day was true. It was.. wasn't it?"

"Yes." I'm sure he's not lying. Nonetheless…

"You still have my Magatama? Give it to me."

His eyes are immediately wounded, but he forks it over without protest.

I've since studied up on this spirit power.

"Why did you even want me around? You wanted me there to channel!"

"No!" I can't see any locks. "I wanted you there because… I liked having you around. And you were my.. p..partner."

"But I channelled for you."

"I would've wanted you there.. even if you'd never again channelled."

No locks.

"I just couldn't let you die," he's repeating again lamely.

"I'm more mad you just disappeared without explaining," I admit.

"I'm sorry." His eyes are helpless.

I hold out my hand. He looks confused.

"I SAID I forgive you. Maybe… we can be friends?"

We linger for a moment at the connection in the pressure of both our still-clammy, sweat-drenched palms, as if reluctant to again let go.

I wish things could go back to how they were, instead of just distantly friends, but maybe they can't. Not after that kind of betrayal. But of course I realise. Would I have let him die for me? What if he had been declared guilty and executed in my place? It wasn't quite the same, but…

"You're not thinking you can become a lawyer again?' I challenge.

"Of course not! How can I…"

"Good, 'cause I'm not supporting you to do _that_." Grossberg springs to mind. Ew.

"You're not going back to Hazakurain are you?"

"W..well, I'm not sure what else.."

"And abandon me AGAIN?" I snap, not bothering to hide the hurt.

He's taken aback. So am I. Now he's here… I really didn't predict how desperate I would be for us to again stay together.

"Maya.. I didn't know. I thought you'd never want to see me again."

"Well, maybe _I_ thought you just didn't care?..." Suddenly, my irritation wilts. This idiot was that desperate for me not to DIE?

"Look, what if I suggested you might come and live at Kurain?"

###

I visit the jail, Magatama in hand. I _am_ grateful to Mr Godot for saving my life, even after what happened. He tells me not to feel bad, he deserved his punishment, and it's not my fault.

There's no psyche-locks when I query him, so it's reassuring to confirm he, not I, stabbed Mother. I still _do_ feel bad though. But I guess there's nothing I can do. [Except vow to send coffee to the jail.]

I still don't quite understand why she stabbed me. Well, Dahlia stabbed me. Why was she channelling Dahlia? Did Mother go insane and want to kill me? This thought has haunted me since the trial end, and much as I try, I can't hide my distress.

Perhaps provoked by this, Mr Armando finally comes clean. "Morgan planned for Pearl to channel Dahlia to murder you. That was the actual plot planned in _Retired Incident #633666825_. I contacted your mother about the plot – the police and government still kept track of her whereabouts - and we resolved to try and prevent it. But Pearl went missing, so Misty decided she would have to channel Dahlia, to make it impossible for Pearl to do so. I guess things went wrong."

I'd pieced some of this together, but it's still a jarring revelation.

"W..why didn't anyone tell me?"

"I don't know. We thought we could just prevent the plot by stopping Pearl. Your mother thought you'd be better off not knowing. And not knowing her. She wanted to remain 'disappeared.' I guess we both paid the price. "

Though our conversation's given reassuring closure in many areas, it's slashed open some old and not-so-old wounds in others. I suppose she mistakenly thought 'disappearing' forever was the best thing she could do for me, in order for me to have the best chance at succeeding her as Master. Ruining Mother, Mr Armando, Aunt Morgan, Pearl – was my becoming the Master ever worth any of this? I'm almost grateful when the guard informs me my visiting session is now over.

Mr Armando doesn't know about Psyche Locks, so he thinks Mia will still believe he confessed only to save me and he never lost face with her. _I'm_ not going to let Sis continue with that impression, however…

I'll tell her I'm not the murderer, but I might spare some of the rest. For Mr Armando's sake.

###

I'm pretty depressed. Someone had the courtesy to hold Mother's funeral while I was still in jail – I suppose dead bodies can't be stored forever, and the Kurain population were unimpressed when they assumed I was her murderer. All I can do is visit her grave, on the outskirts of Kurain.

If only I'd known who she was, earlier that night. Why didn't she tell me? If things had gone as planned, and the assassination plan prevented, would she have just disappeared off again? Probably. Did she think I won't want to see her? I've searched for her spirit, desperate for some kind of belated connection, but it doesn't want to be found.

I sink to the ground, trying to control the painful, spasming sobs, the futility of caking myself with mud. Because of course I did want to see her – knowing her identity. Even once.

But I guess, in the end, she did come back to me.

Someone else came back too.

###

There's a vacant traditional hut where an old Mystic died recently, so Nick takes up residence there. At first a lot of the other Kurain residents were really suspicious, since they know who he was, but Sister Bikini demanded to take a holiday here. She gossiped away to the other Mystics about what a lovely guy he was, though probably insane or retarded, so they just assume he had some kind of breakdown after the Engarde trial and really is harmless. Besides, they soon found he was good at cleaning toilets and odd chores and even babysitting, so now they seem to like him.

###

I know I'm supposed to be 'moving on', concentrating on taking over as Master, but a jarring kind of unresolution and grief lures me to creep off secretly, under the guise of other activities, to futile silent vigils at my mother's grave. I suppose it's pretty pointless, she's gone – again. I can't grieve in public – most of the Kurain residents still regard her as disgraced, and I'm not sure anyone understands why I'm grieving over somebody I effectively never even knew.

I'm in my usual position, drooped in the dust. The Master's Seal is emblazoned on the ground in front of me, a few holders for candles and incense burners at strategic locations in the emblem's dots and stylistic spirit-comets.

I don't cry any more. Whatever emotion this is, I'm past tears. There don't seem to be any left.

I sense someone cautiously come up behind me. Without turning around, I know who it is. I knew he'd figure out where I keep disappearing off to eventually.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I stare blankly into space.

I hope he's not going to tell me to 'cheer up', like people tell me in the village if I drop my act, as if that will somehow change what happened and make it okay.

But he sinks down into the dust next to me. We're silent for some minutes. We both stare at the ground.

"I still feel like it's all my fault."

"It wasn't. The real killer was proven in court."

"Not that. Everything. The whole damn Master business. Why she thought she could never come back. Why she did that and d-died. Why Aunt Morgan went insane. Why Mr Godot's life is over. Even Mia… leaving so I could be successor by default…"

"It's not your fault Maya!" He's pleading, I can tell he's searching for the right thing to say. "Sometimes some things are outside your control. How old were you when she left, _two_? And you never told or forced any of them to do those things. You didn't even know."

"Why couldn't I recognise her. If only I had. But she finally comes back – and her own daughter can't even tell who she is anymore. No wonder she thought she should just stay 'gone'. I search for her spirit," the weight of feelings crush me at this most shameful of secret unspeakability, "but she doesn't _want_ me to contact her."

"Maya…" Deeply sympathetic eyes compel mine, but I don't think he knows quite what to say.

"At least I could still recognise you, I guess." I feel a wry urge to lighten Nick's now-sombre mood.

Nick drops his eyes and scuffs a random pebble. He takes a while to speak.

"I thought since you ignored my letters, you never wanted to see me again."

"Letters?"

"I send letters. Two. I.. I wrote a third.."

"I d..didn't get them. Wait. I… think I know what happened."

I don't think Godot was _trying_ to be cruel to me. He really did seem a little crazy, and actually thought Nick was a terrible threat to me, even brainwashed himself that Mia's death _was_ Nick's fault..

It's hopeless. So instead of replying further I break down and hug him.

Feeling his body wrap against mine in response transports me to that other scene. It was – again – the worst moment of my life, suddenly realising that was my mother – DEAD – in front of me, and not knowing why, wondering if I killed her, overwhelmed with pain, sure I was going to die myself. But again he was here. At first I thought it was just a dream, but his touch was real.

As far as I'm concerned now, there's nothing to forgive.

"How'd you like to be the Master's assistant?" I offer.

Nick looks as if he may faint.

"Oh. I forgot to give this back." I hold out the Magatama. "I trust you. Don't you dare let me down."

"I won't." More hugging. Nick's pretty eager.

"Don't crush me," I chide.

Concern flickers his face, then wilts into realisation I'm joking.

###

After all our exposure to the modern world, of course Nick and I soon decide to take an emergency trip to the nearest city to obtain things unavailable in the primitive arcanity of the village. Well we _planned_ to. It's infuriating how slow Nick is being.

"What! I can't leave yet! I have to find something to wear…"

"Oh, just wear that monk costume or whatever it is. Hurry up."

"I thought I'd give up being a monk now. I'm sure I paid off my sins and whatever."

"Ooh, Nick, you naughty boy!"

"But Maya, you said you forgave me."

"Yeah, well, I guess I did. BUT…"

"So I guess I can forgive myself now. Because I couldn't forgive myself over losing you."

"Oh, Nick! Um.." That was unusually sweet, and I'm momentarily taken aback. "But hey," I remember, "I bet you don't have any other wearable clothes left!"

Nick sighs. I had him there. The police raided the Losers' Shack before his murder trial and took practically everything, not that there was much to take.

"I'll look like a hippie freak!"

"NICK! I wear this stuff in public ALL THE TIME. Come on. It'll be fun!"

"For you. People will stare at me and stuff…"

"..with awe and admiration!"

"Yeah, right."

###

Nick's eyes dart around furtively. "Everyone is starting at me, Maya. In fact – they're even staring at me, not you!"

"Isn't it great? Now, if you sit there and beg, maybe people will donate you money! Don't you feel like you need a burger and a coffee right now?"

"No."

"Well, _I_ do! Use this bowl I, um, salvaged."

"Oh, fine." Nick droops forlornly on the ground, bowl shoved lopsidedly on the pavement in front of him. "Are you going to integrate some kind of marketing message about Kurain into this?"

"Oh, that's an idea! You're good at this! I'll add it to '_1005 Ways To Make Money'._ How about '_Visit Kurain: or FEEL THE WRATH OF AMI FEY!_'"

"Very motivational."

I knew Nick would like it!

My eyes soon flit to a shop display. Steel Samurai merchandise, big screen TVs…

Standing on the street? Boring.

"I'm just going in there. You just wait _right_ here."

When I finally come back, I'm quite awed that Nick has a pile of money. All small change, but this is more lucrative than I thought…

"Good work, Mystic Phoenix! Did you want a burger too?"

"If I don't, will you just eat mine?"

"Probably."

The server at _Grease King_ seems nonplussed at receiving payment in 200 different coins, but they can't exactly refuse me service. A _Triple Hyper Burger_, a large coffee, and a _Junior Burger_ for Nick because he's a wimp (and specifically requested 'something small'.)

###

We pay a visit to the old office. All the plaques and signs declaring it '_Wright and Co. Law Offices_' have been boarded up or painted over to avoid confusion, and I was forced to sell off a lot of the higher quality internals (they were Mia's, mostly,) but Nick's eyes have still dilated with emotive terror, tiptoeing around the vicinity as if at a funeral - or haunted graveyard. Am I going to have to start holding his hand?

"Nick, um, we can go…" I feel bad bringing him here, making him so uncomfortable.

"No. I have to face what I did."

The bad air, dust and cobwebs assault us – I could never bear to visit here more than about once a month either. I mainly kept up the rent because the law firm and related files and a lot of stuff inside were Nick's too, it would be stealing to just dispose of them. And because to not do so would be accepting I should be letting go of Nick completely.

"You paid the rent all this time?"

"Well I couldn't just throw away your stuff right away. What if you came back for it?"

"I don't think I can face those f..files again." He looks so forlorn. Sure, he was a complete idiot over the Engarde case, but I have to cheer him up somehow!

"A whole lot of clients really were innocent, weren't they? Nothing you did changes those cases."

"I guess." He doesn't seem too convinced.

"Anyway, it's over now. What I was going to ask… I thought it'd be useful to have a city office for Kurain Master business, but should we use here or rent somewhere else… cheaper," I end tactfully.

"Um, I don't know. There might be some kind of negative association…"

"Would spirit channelling clients have know the location of the old, um, business though?"

"Good point. I'll, um, think about it."

"And while we're in the city, we could live here, we could convert or divide some of the rooms…"

Nick detaches a stray spider from his hair. "You're not planning on sleeping here tonight, are you?

"No _way_! I can't breathe!"

He morbidly returns to training his eyes on various corners and seemingly innocuous objects in the ex-office. Waiting with patience and growing tedium, I happen to glance out the window. Pitch dark, neither of us have watches and the office clocks appear to have stopped months previously. _Oops_.

"Come _on_, Nick!"

His gaze still lingers around the room forlornly, his desk evidently the half-cased mess he originally left it – with an extra years' worth of dust caked on top.

"Grab those bags – I don't wanna sleep at the train station!" I seize a few of the lighter products of today's haul- part of the needed foodstuffs, and what appears to be Nick's new wardrobe – cheap, nameless-brand tracksuits, coloured blue. I suppose I'll have to keep forcing him to wear the monk gear during channellings to evoke the right atmosphere. I have the sudden belated forethought to grab the spare lawyer suit I found in one of the cupboards – in case he has to look respectable for Master business, not for being a lawyer, of course.

###

Channelling appointments aren't a problem anymore, with Nick as my personal bodyguard. After all that, I do trust him to protect me. And maybe he did learn something at law school, because he's not too bad with some of the other weird affairs I'm supposed to handle around here.

He shows no sign of leaving, so I'm thinking of telling him to move into Fey Manor instead of that dump he lives in now. Perhaps I can gauge his interest in other ways. I think I've figured out why, after everything, I'm still so desperate to have him by my side…

###

I suddenly remember tomorrow is Valentines Day. Well, hopefully Nick will see this as an interesting gift.

But when I arrive at his little shack next morning, I'm horrified to find Trainee Mystic Mary hovering there, complete with chocolates. I lose it.

"What are you DOING? He's only ELEVEN years older than you!"

"I'm sorry, Mystic Maya, we were just showing we appreciate hi… Hey," she continues with interest, "you're really upset."

"Yes!"

"Oh. Don't tell me.. you like him _that_ way."

"Shut up."

Too late. Nick has been attracted by the commotion. He smiles and thanks Mystic Mary for the gift, and she then leaves in a hurry [pursued by my death glare.]

"Right, Nick, get packing. You're moving."

"What?"

"You're moving out of this dump."

Nick's face falls. "N..no, Maya. I don't want to leave! What did I do? Did I.." He suddenly gets really upset.

"Huh? _Ohhhh_.. you thought I was telling you to leave Kurain? No, you dummy. I thought you'd like to move into the Manor with me."

Nick gapes for a second. "Chocolate?" he offers, wrenching open the box and holding it out with a disarming smile. He grins suddenly. "Getting to live with you is much better than any chocolates."

It's my turn to gape. What's he been doing, to suddenly come up with those types of lines?

Nick's eyes pan the strewn floor, then the teetering contents of his ex-shack, no doubt figuring what to pack first.

Observing I've already scoffed most of the chocolates, he reaches for one thoughtfully and delicately unwraps it. "Ah mayaswel givey'thisthn," he mumbles through a mouthful.

"What?" I snatch up the last two chocolates in a fist.

"Happy Birthday." He holds something out, freshly trawled from the chaos.

"What? It's not my bir…._ooh_."

It's a box set of about 10 DVDS. '_Classic Samurai Romance Greatest Hits'_ is emblazoned prominently on several sides.

"Oh, Nick! Thanks! …But why have a whole lot of them been torn open? Was it a seconds…?"

"Well, I thought I'd try watching a couple to see what you saw in them. I _still_ don't get it."

"Don't worry, we'll just have to watch the rest together! I'm sure I can explain them to you…"

"Uh…. Thanks." Nick pats my arm awkwardly in response to my crushing hug.

###

* * *

**PHOENIX:**

Spending most of my time in Kurain means I don't have to encounter most people from my expired old identity. Larry, of all people, managed to get in contact with me. "Woo, I saw you on TV! Committing murder, you really are a hog for publicity! And signing up to be a monk – I bet girls like that! Did you meet any hot chicks? Or did they make you take a vow of chastity?"

I haven't seen Edgeworth. I can't believe I judged him so harshly for disappearing – I did practically the same thing! It would be unsurprising if he now treated me the same way. Maya tells me he's back overseas and they seem to communicate occasionally; guess he's still grateful to her for helping him out at his murder trial.

Now that I can, albeit painfully, again force myself to remember 'that'..case… he did seem to have moved to a better place in terms of whatever he thinks 'truth' and 'prosecutors' are. I'm not sure we're on the same wavelength to discuss it, not now, but I'm glad things are looking up from the 'Demon Prosecutor' thing.

Maya tries to convince me it's because of what we did – I mean, he'd be in jail as a murderer otherwise, right? I'm not sure whether or not to believe her, but I suppose there *_is_* a string of logic in it.

Any villagers I meet as I go about my daily business greet me cordially enough, though I used to sense they viewed me a little like Maya's prized pet, but gradually they've seemed to eye me with something more approaching respect – as much respect as men acquire in this type of society anyway. They've even finally begun to adhere to Maya's Master decree to term me 'Mystic Phoenix', though I do worry it's still spoken from the influence of Bikini's pet term for me, ''Brother' 'Mystic' Phoenix.

I wonder if being invited to live in the Master's home will win me any more points? My eyes spot a few already coming to gawk at the commotion from the endless loop of carting out my meagre but surprisingly cluttered belongings; apart from escaped evil possessions, not much of interest happens here once you get desensitised to the ghost thing.

I've gotten pretty used to the initial horror of Maya taking on the hybrid appearance of all kinds of myriad spirits. We do background checks and legal risk assessments before taking on channeling appointments [as much as is possible, since I lost many of my old connections.] At least, _I _do. Maya thinks I'm too paranoid, but I can't bear the prospect of having to hit her over the head with that hideous-looking Spirit Severing Stick, and it goes without saying we don't want anyone shooting at her again.

Pearls seems to have forgiven me over everything, which is a relief for my pain receptors.

Apparently whatever Maya or I did vaguely resembled one of her fairytale books or something – well, I don't want to know about it!

Maya was interested in _'The Magic Bottle' _after everything, and we read it, but she was the only one who cried this time, poor thing. For some reason it doesn't affect me any more. Just another kiddie story. Though I admit the art is nice.

###

Fey Manor is lovely after all that straw and dirt, a shining beacon of utter luxury even when just a few short years ago it seemed distressingly arcane.

I sink into the bliss and sigh as I shove my face into the pleasant scent of fresh tatami mats and silk bedding – my new bedroom alone is larger and more tastefully equipped than my old hovel and the Loser's Shack combined. I'm even warming to the prospect of having burgers every single night again.

The walls shimmer away into expanding clear night air, perched on an eerily soft rock with Maya's assuring presence beside me. The stars spilled along the darkened sky, the aesthetic of the moon, so huge and yellow, juxtaposed with the nearby mountain, the breeze carrying the aromatic scent of pine needles (and not those irritating flowers.)

The moon swells meteor style, explodes and crashes across the landscape with a blinding light. My eyes are jarred into the excruciating brightness as I feel a familiar dragging. "NICK! It's too early for bed, how old do you think you are? You said we were going to watch a movie!"

Oh well, Maya has 'dropped by' to 'helpfully' wake me up at the crack of dawn every morning anyway (I never contested the fact she had keys to my hut; I guess she *_is_* Master of the place,) frequently tandem with a demand to accompany her to that hideous waterfall training to do me a "favour" to "toughen me up." Guess this isn't really a downgrade.

If anything, I feel _more_ at ease since the reality interruption. Dreams aren't real.

I suppose I'm finally getting past it all. There's enough distraction to occupy mine and Maya's attention, here, anyway. It's not quite the same as the law office, but we figure out how to juggle those crazy Kurain affairs and the billion and one management issues, both internally and in contact with the outside world.

We're not ones to say it, but I can see in her eyes the renewed faith and trust in my capabilities. I thought I'd forgotten and then mentally erased everything I crammed for at Law School, but maybe I did absorb more of use than how to scream and point fingers, maybe I'm not totally incompetent with the legal thing. I guess I just bit off more than I could chew with my lofty lawyer ideas and ideals. And my life no longer seems so pointless and empty, the way it did after I threw away and ran from everything.

Before I used to think I'd let Mia down, that she was wrong to ever think I could be a lawyer like her. But I don't have the same regrets now

Sure, she was wrong about me ever being a lawyer of her calibre. But I did manage to protect Maya from the farce of the court's injustice, in the end, belatedly.

I was a delusional idiot back then. Mia opened my eyes to the truth. I know now I'm not competent enough to uncover the truth and masterfully use it for good in a court of law. But at least now I know what's worth saving. Justice isn't real, just an idealistic fantasy, the world doesn't really work that way, I can't make it do so and I'm no longer so naive.

###


	14. Chapter 14

**_Several Months Later…_**

**PHOENIX:**

The darkened sky gradually diffuses into a grey glow.

I shift in my – well, actually Maya's – silk pillow. Not *_too_* much though, since Maya is complexly intertwined around me.

I realise what woke me – my feet are numb with cold. The entirety of covers also appear to have intertwined around _Maya_, and being so short, she doesn't extend that far to compensate the way she does for the rest of me. As I hook my frozen toes back into some trailing material with minimal disturbance, my memory returns to the previous night, yeah, we couldn't be bothered moving, again…

Hmm, maybe we should stop doing this (I know the entertainment-starved villagers gossip, and even take bets on when the Master will suddenly produce an heir) but I admit I enjoy it too much to bother.

The *_actual_* lure of this site is the TV, imposingly consuming an entire wall. Maya insisted on its purchase after that channelling for the big-shot diplomat; we _could _have re-patched and upgraded all the villagers' dodgy little shacks instead, but I guess it *_is_* HER soul on the line. Besides, Maya was so thrilled by the larger-than-life Samurais, watching her elated face, I begrudgingly began to concede it was worth it.

We upgraded all the basic facilities at Kurain of course – how else could we stand living here? The 'spiritual tourism' thing has skyrocketed too.

I settle back into a blissful doze, Maya wrapped around me. If only I could remain drifting in this state all morning.. day.. year… But I can vaguely hear random birds twittering, and then a rooster crows (yes, they have chickens here) and Maya snaps awake.

"NICK!" I wince preparedly as she bounces on top of me, "WAKE UP!"

I pretend not to register.

"Ah! You're so lazy!"

Maya has delegated out most of the boring Masterish tasks (various innocuous mediums light incenses and pray for the departed and supervise most training and whatever), but she feels she has to do this waterfall training most mornings to keep her powers honed. No, erase that. She's decided WE have to do this awful waterfall training every morning to keep her powers honed.

It's not so bad, now, I guess. I don't pass out any more like I did the first few times. Maya's actually very encouraging. Which is the only reason I don't scream and run. Come to think of it, I couldn't do that either – how can I leave her alone? What if something happened?

Yeah, she's got me blackmailed…

We sit close enough to touch so I have a near unhindered view despite the obscuring veil of brutal water. As she adeptly performs her meditations and incarnations, Maya exudes the graceful presence starkly absent from most of her daily activities. It's marginally intimidating. At least until she senses me flailing, again. (Without even opening her eyes!)

"Nick, come on! It's okay," she reassures in the midst of her incarnation chant, and squeezes my hand. I focus on the pressure and retain consciousness.

"Be… forged… anew… can't… feel my body at all.." I mutter internally, through gritted teeth.

Maya, damp but pristine, eventually opens her eyes. She's finished all million chants, so it's finally over!

I suppose at least it absolves the need for a daily shower, except when I collapse in the mud and debris, which happens most days, even if only when we finish, from sheer exhaustion.

_Maya_ seems to find the experience rejuvenating. And she's endearingly and exudingly chirpy as we trail back to Fey Manor, which does serve to enhance my poor mood. We then both spend a long time fussing over our hair, and then settle down to the warming ritual of the massive smorgasbord of breakfast Maya demands.

I've come to the conclusion that spirit powers must burn huge amounts of metabolism, which is why Maya doesn't get fat or something. Or maybe she really does have 6 stomachs along with those transforming genes? Anyway, it goes without saying food was among the first of Kurain's modern technology upgrades.

Most days, Pearls has already prepared the 'Special Someones' Favourite Breakfast' of burgers, burgers and more burgers. Thankfully, the freezing torture always has the effect of leaving me ravenous, so I'd just be happy even chewing on cardboard.

"Ooooh!" exclaims Maya through a rather inelegant mouthful, "you've made my *_chew_* favourites! Steak Burger and *_gulp_* Ramen Burger!"

Sure enough, these nasty off-white tentacle-tendrils are spilling out of the polystyrene bun. I coat them with more sauce and close my eyes before tentative sinking of my teeth. By Ami Fey, that's a salt overload!

I start choking.

Maya is alarmed. Her burger falls limply to the floor in immediate abandonment (which might be touching if I wasn't on verge of suffocation.) Hitting me on the back has little effect, so she takes me in some kind of chokehold. This works a charm.

"Sorry… can't… face…" I flail limply in the direction of 'breakfast'.

"Doesn't matter." She's all reassurance. "Anyway, we don't want you ruining your GREAT body? It's okay! I made you a nice salad!"

She eagerly rushes to the fridge, evidently she prepared it in advance!

Now is not the time to remind her I hate vegetables too. Still, the pile of wet lettuce leaves ARE calming on my throat, and Maya is so eager. She swoops down and consumes the remains of my Ramen Burger, stray slobber and all. I'm left contemplating Maya's previous comment, maybe she was taking a swipe at me?  
But sarcasm isn't Maya's strongest trait, her oblivion is part of why we get on so well.

"Nick, why are you preening again? Yeah, your hair looks the way it normally does, we know."

I was? Um, oops.

"Perhaps Mr Mystic Nick is merely preparing himself for today's event, Mystic Maya?" suggests Pearls, who has wordlessly observed our entire morning altercation, hands over enamoured doe-eyes.

"Oh. Um, right." Damn, as Master's Assistant Manager I'm supposed to remember this stuff. I flail for our schedule book. "Agh! Those big shot diplomats' negotiation meeting is THIS EVENING in the city!"

"That's right, Nick! So hurry up, we have to leave soon."

I expect Maya to change into her full Master gear, which is rather imposing (though I can't help thinking it would be MORE imposing if the poor thing were a little taller.)

My wardrobe of tracksuits loom in my mind, suddenly seeming very out of place.

"Maya, what should I… _Gah_!"

Maya is not in her Master gear. Maya is not in her 'traditional' outfits at all. She's materialised in what is evidently her new city outfit, a simple but intriguing black number. It clings alarmingly. It shows rather a lot of skin.

I didn't even know she owned clothes like that!

By Ami, _why_ am I staring?

"What should I wear?" I panic to Maya. "The monk junk?..."

"No! *_This_*!" decrees Maya emphatically.

…!

…I'm going to faint.

"No!" I protest lamely. "How did you…I thought I threw them all away!"

"You're wearing it."

Yeah. It's *_gulp_* one of the old blue… lawyer suits. I threw one in the river. I set fire to another…

"Don't just stand there! Or will I dress you as well?"

But Maya suddenly seems to sense my unease, and her eyes shift to genuine compassion.

"Come on, Nick. Please. You'll look fantastic. We're a team… right?"

"Right." I'm somehow reassured.

I obsess over my hair for an additional 30 minutes whilst Maya helps me set every spike in perfect placement, and the taxi arrives, and we're off!

###

I feel a creeping anticipation of trepidation to again be in the presence of 'respectable' people. I *_know*_ I'm going to feel intimidated, again… _Oh 'great', here they are…_

I'm starkly conscious of the suit's stiff materials clinging to me, at once familiar and unfamiliar.

_Don't remember 'last time'_, I defend with automatic superstition. _Damn, And of course just mentioning it reminded me!... _I sense Maya step to my side. And sense deja-vu… and not of a bad kind.

Suddenly I feel competent, even professional.

Our eyes meet, and I feel myself relax.

We fall into our latest double-act – talking up Kurain. I don't know why I was so worried, because everything seems to be going just fine. Every so often, the corner of her eye nudges mine. _Take that, business heavyweights!_

We snatch a few quick conspiratorial grins in between Maya putting on her 'Master' airs. Actually, Maya seems to let me talk a lot. It feels like she trusts my judgment, again, solidarity passing inherent in our gaze.

###

It's over. We escape out the door, to the discreetness of darkness and blissful fresh air.

"Well, that went well!" Maya grins at me, then explodes into laughter. And I'm laughing along with her. I do have an idea of what _I_ found amusing, and my suspicions it's mutual are soon confirmed.

Maya exaggeratedly repeats one of her Kurain-inflating lines from earlier, then cracks up. Oh yes, we both know Kurain is *_really_* a backwater dump and Maya doesn't take the Master thing too seriously. We cling to each other with unbounded mirth. After many moments we steady.

"Thanks for coming, Nick," impresses Maya, suddenly sober.

"Oh, I didn't think I had much choice?" I begin, but she retorts "You know what I mean."

We depart toward the train station. (That taxi all the way here cost a fortune! And was for one-way, 'professional' effect, only.)

"I love how you kept pointing your finger to emphasise points!"

"Oh…" I kind of didn't notice.

Just another night. It feels uncannily like nothing ever changed. I'm half expecting Maya to drag me to our usual old burger joint, except that we ate some nasty little refreshments at the meeting.

###

It's ages 'till the train. Maya shifts uneasily next to me on the hard metal bench. Her eyes cast in the direction of the drinks machine.

"Would you like a coffee?"

"No thanks." I politely decline.

I feel Maya's head sink against me, her evidently tired eyes closing. Near-instinctively, I wrap my arms around her, to effect greater mutual comfort.

_Oh Maya… _Her presence is inignorable against me.  
I know she puts in effort to the Master thing, and I'm far more impressed with her competence than I'd ever admit to her face, but at the same time, she doesn't take it too seriously. Which, admittedly has helped me immensely in dealing with ruining my own law career (though I'm not about to tell her!)

Her unsinkable playfulness is at once perturbing but endearing. Maybe it won't let them tear her down, force her to run away the way Misty and ….I did when we were confronted with the reality of the world's inherent injustice. We took things so seriously…

At least I hope so. I glance my eyes down. I vaguely remember all those times back in the… 'old' days, she admitted she thought Pearls should be Master. I flinch in remembrances surfacing of my own connected past. The feeling of total, total incompetence; of having failed utterly to the extent you have no choice but to leave. I admit I didn't quite get it when Maya tried to leave that first time after Edgeworth's case. Now I do.

"Maya.." I intend to continue but the feeling that surges to the fore is not one I can put into words, or really comprehend at all. _Well, I should encourage her!_ Agh, I'm so bad at this.

"I thought you were great, tonight," I try. "Maya…?"

Maya gives a little murmur. I swear she's genuinely fallen asleep, totally secure. Her warm weight would have a soporific effect on me also, if I wasn't paranoid we'll end up missing the train. Doesn't matter. I'm just happy to observe.

After th..that trial, I felt I lost everything. My entire identity had been wrapped up in a futile illusional lie for 5 years and then erased, my life effectively over.

But I'm starting to see some essential strands of my existence and past can indeed be separated from my 'lawyer' career, it makes me feel it's not so big of a deal.

I rest my head closer to hers. I can feel her breathing. I glimpse a token star.

We're just two people against the world, and the world is unfair, and that the courts can or will make it any different is just an idealistic illusion. Sure, miracles don't exist, justice probably doesn't exist, is an imaginary ideal rather than a concrete reality of our societies. But somehow it doesn't seem to matter so much any more.

* * *

**CHAPTER NOTES:**

_In the ENG version Maya's obsessed with Burgers, but in the JP version, of course, she's obsessed with Ramen. So what could she like better than a RAMEN BURGER? The mind boggles._

_The supposed 'morning after' scene really was just innocent TV-watching. SORRY. Give it a few year/s...  
_

_And so that's _probably_ **THE END**._

_And I have to thank _Starling-Night _for beta-ing when I reached stalemate-apathy on this. Read her fanfics!  
_


End file.
